We're Family, Blood
by Laurie Archer
Summary: The third part to "I Just Want to be Loved" and "One Lonely Night". Clara has a beautiful daughter and Anne has the two people she'll ever need. Seems life is perfect, when trouble starts brewing again. Only this time, it's more intense. A familiar face is back in town and plans a rebellion to shake things up in Hell. But Heaven has its own plans concerning hybrids like Clara...
1. Bad Girl

Well, here you have it! The triology! I couldn't _not_ write a third part and I hope you enjoy the ride!

The song here is "Bad Girl" by Avril Lavigne featuring Marilyn Manson

 **Bad Girl**

Everyone smiled at her as she walked down the sidewalk of the country's largest city. She was so delightful with her little pink dress, her sparkling pink shoes and her long dark hair held out of her face with a sparkling pink headband.

She would smile sweetly in return, but there was something there, a dark flicker of Hell in her light brown eyes. The people would stand back, unsure of what to make of this adorable little girl with the creepy expression in her eyes. They wanted to get away, but they couldn't stop looking at her.

But she wasn't interested in them.

She looked up at the tall buildings and the bright sky above, and as lovely as it was, the noise was unbearable and it was too bright outside. She scrunched up her nose and squinted her eyes, unable to adjust to this environment. It was pretty at first, but then it wasn't what she thought it would be.

"You wanted to see New York, kid." Said a smooth voice that matched his classic good looks and his charm. "What did you expect?" he asked.

"Amusement parks." She replied with a hint of annoyance as she looked up at the Knight of Hell. "I wanted amusement parks, Niki." She added and looked put off as he mocked a frown at her. Yet, he chuckled slightly as he looked around.

"Sometimes it's hard to tell if you're more like your mother or your father, Cookie." He said as he looked down at her. This time, she frowned and showed her annoyance in her eyes.

"It's Princess _or_ Keara." She said and crossed her arms over her chest like her mother often would. Nikolai grinned and mimicked her.

"It's Nikolai." He said and they stared down at each other, both unwilling to surrender their nicknames for each other. And, as if Keara realized that that wasn't going to stop, she turned around and continued walking, searching for her amusement park.

Nikolai followed her and began humming. She acted like he annoyed her, but she wouldn't want to hang out with anyone else. He was fun and he made her laugh, and then he was pretty…

At that moment, down this side alley, Keara heard this blood curdling screech of a cat in distress. She peered down the alley and narrowed her eyes, listening to the laughter of three boys. She steered away from the busy sidewalk and entered the alley, her hands balling into fists.

Beyond the large garbage bin where the three boys she had heard, pinning down a poor frightened cat. It was digging its claws into the cement and trying to escape by any means necessary. They were discussing amongst each other what to do, meaning how to hurt the cat.

That was it.

Keara stood in sight and smiled in her darkest manner, one that would send chills down their spines. One boy looked up at her and, despite that very chill, shouted at her.

"Go away you little shit." He said with a New York accent and when the other boys looked up at her, starting to call her some nasty names, she snapped her fingers and they froze. Only their eyes could move and her dark sinister smile broadened, letting the darkness in her eyes burn.

The cat, as if sensing the demon within and realizing she could now move, shrank low to the ground. It tried to make its way to the dead end of the alley, afraid that this demon would be its end. However, when Keara softened her anger, allowing for the human to step forward, the cat looked over its shoulders at her and let out a frightened meow.

Keara approached the cat slowly and crouched low to the ground as to extend her hand and win the cat's confidence. The cat seemed uncertain, but met her eyes and seeing that the demon had subsided, and eventually came to her. It was still afraid, but Keara waited patiently.

"It's okay." she said sweetly. Once the cat overcame its fear and licked her hand, it allowed her to touch it. Keara picked it up and held it tightly against her chest, humming a soft melody to comfort the cat.

"It's alright, little Kitty. No stupid boys will hurt you, or other cats, ever again." she said, walking up to the frozen boys, and looked at them, her dark grin returning. "Do you know what happens to bad little boys?" she asked them and then snapped her fingers as she turned around. Soon, they wailed in agony, but she ignored their screams. Their flesh was being ripped off in chunks. They were being burnt by combusting flames as wicked as Hell's fires and they were being stabbed repeatedly by some unseen force sharper than the fangs of a Hellhound. For once, they were about to get a taste of their own medicine.

Keara walked out of the alley and smiled up innocently at Nikolai who only smirked at her. Some people began to notice the screams in that alley, but it didn't concern Keara. The cat was more important.

"I like animals." She said and stroked the cat, who was now purring. "They're innocent. Stupid people disregard how important they are; how they should be respected." She added and she let out a little giggle when Nikolai stroked the cat as well. "But not anymore. I'll be the Guardian of animals." She added and Nikolai glanced at her with a sort of saddened expression.

"You realize you can't take a cat to Hell." She said and she grunted in protest. "You're parents explained this to you several times: Hell is not a place for animals. We can only have creatures that were created in Hell." He added and Keara grunted again. "You'll have to give it a good home." He said and she remained silent for some time, then sighed in defeat.

"Fine." She said dryly and shot a cold glare over her shoulder at Nikolai. "But this isn't over." she said and narrowed her eyes as he let out a small chuckle. Like he hadn't heard that one before.

She walked to the nearest residence, where a middle aged woman was just opening a window. Keara stood there, staring at this woman with the saddest eyes she could manage. The woman notice she was standing there and quickly empathized with the strange little girl.

"Is there something wrong, little girl?" she asked with a sweet voice. Keara nodded her head and even formed a few tears in her eyes. The woman was lost for words, but quickly made her way to her door. She opened it and invited Keara up closer. She looked down at the cat, tears falling down her cheeks, and when she looked up at the woman, she could see that she wanted so much to help.

Good.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she wiped away the tears with a handkerchief that smelled like mothballs. Keara began to speak, but stuttered purposely to tug at the woman's heart strings some more.

"I – I can – can't keep my ca – cat." She said and began sobbing. The woman awed and tried a sympathetic smile, but Keara cried more. "I can't keep my cat and I don't want her to feel abanded in those shelters." She added, mispronouncing the word 'abandoned', because apparently children who can't speak properly are cute. Keara continued to cry, even to the point that some people on the street began to notice. "I need a good home for her so I now she's happy. I don't want her to die in those shelters." Keara added and the woman contemplated what she should do.

Then she smiled softly.

"I can take your cat, sweetie. If that's what you'd like." She said and Keara blinked her eyes and cried as she threw herself into the arms of the woman, clinging onto the cat.

"Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you." She said and pulled back, looking up at the woman with hope in her eyes. "Thank you so much." She added and the woman looked down at the cat.

"What's her name?" she asked and when she looked at Keara, she smiled brilliantly that had the old woman enchanted.

"Cookie." Keara said softly and smiled as the woman took the cat. She would have looked back at Nikolai to see if he enjoyed her naming the cat, but the old woman wasn't supposed to know he was there. He probably was smiling, being so happy with himself.

"I promise to take good care of your cat." The woman said, looking at the strange little girl one last time, and closing the door once she stepped into her place.

Keara wiped away her tears and Nikolai appeared next to her as they continued down the sidewalk.

"It's really hard to tell if you're more like your mother or your father." He said once again, impressed with her acting. Keara chuckled and held her chin up high with pride. She's like to think she had a balanced amount of both her parents' traits.

"Don't think about it too much or it'll hurt your pretty little head." she replied with a dark grin. "Now onto the amusement parks like you promised!" She added as she pointed forward, determined to get what she wanted.

"I didn't promise that." He said and she giggled darkly.

"You said anything I want and I want amusement parks, Niko." She said and began skipping down the sidewalk, humming without a care in the world.


	2. Demons

The song here is "Demons" by Imagine Dragons

 **Demons**

They entered Hell and had a long way to go, but Keara didn't mind. She considered it her duty to walk those halls and see the faces of the demons that she would one day rule. Nikolai didn't bother bursting her little bubble; he doubted Crowley would resign as King, but it was just too cute to see Keara owning her title of Princess of Hell.

However, the demons didn't seem afraid or threatened by her. Since Clara entered Hell as their Queen and showed them just how incredibly powerful and devoted she was, they seemed to accept anything Crowley did, like having a child with his Queen. Not only that, obedience has been at an all time high. But the best was that they seemed to have changed their perspective on Cambions.

Eventually, Keara began skipping through the halls with her large stuffed plush pony that Nikolai won for her at one of those stupid games. She said he couldn't hit the target with those squirt guns, knowing that he'd want to prove her wrong. Well, he got the biggest stuffed plush he could get and all she did was tell him that he got lucky.

Little cute brat.

Her plush pony was half her size, but she hugged it like that didn't bother her, although she kept losing her grip on it once in a while. Then, Ginger, Clara's Hellhound, appeared and began trotting next to her, growling softly to show that she was content.

"Keeping up, Niki?" Keara asked and Nikolai chuckled.

"Out of the two of us, who has the longer legs?" he asked and she giggled. He couldn't help but grin. She was adorable! She was a spitting image of her mother and her attitude was a mixture of her parents. Yes, some of the things she said or did seem to be her father's influence… which made him very proud, of course.

Then, she turned around and surprised Nikolai by holding onto his hand. She tried to continue skipping, but it was harder, so she settled for simply walking. She looked up at Nikolai with those light brown eyes and smiled. Yes indeed, she was adorable… and she knew it.

"I had fun today." She said with a sweet smile.

"Good, but exaggerate with your father." He said and she giggled. "I was awesome as always. I walked for miles for you, blah blah blah. I played those games to no end just to win you all the toys you desired." He added and Keara giggled again and looked up at him, her eyes sparkling.

"I wouldn't have to exaggerate." She replied and Nikolai couldn't help but smile and gently pinch her check. Her cheeks were pink, as if she was blushing. Fuck she was so cute!

They finally reached that final corridor and she released his hand, running full speed and giggling as Ginger raced her. Nikolai walked briskly and once they turned the corner, there it was: the mansion Crowley had built for Clara. It was always breath taking. Only now, along with the amazing figures carved into the stone, it had dark stained glass windows and the interior was majestic and glamorous. Unlike the apartment which was red and black, the interior was white and gold, except for the bedrooms and the study. Those were dark brown with hints of red and only a slight touch of black and grey. But it was a mansion fitting for the richest puny human on Earth. If those types of people could see this mansion, they'd be lining up to make deals in hopes riches like this awaited them.

Keara got to the doors and gave just a slight push. They opened on their own, as if inviting them back in. The lobby was shiny and warm, unlike the dark corridors of Hell. There was a bright chandelier overhead black and white tile on the floor and the best were the luxurious stairs on both sides going to the second floor where a small balcony that brought you to two corridors off to the left and to the right with a glamorous party room in the center behind two doors similar to the front doors, except they were gold. Under those stairs were a set of doors, once again gold, that slide open to reveal the dining room. Off to the left and to the right where small halls to other rooms, such as the foyer and the library.

Keara trotted around as if she knew where to find her parents. She walked through the dining room to a set of doors behind the grand dining table that led to another corridor with a few doors. But in front of her was another set of large doors and that was the study. She opened in and entered.

"Hello!" she said in a singing manner. Her parents were sitting behind their desks and the second she walked in, they smiled. The study was identical to their office not far from where they had their apartment, but this wasn't for business purposes, as hard as it was to believe. Besides business, Nikolai couldn't understand what they would use this study for. Planning parties?

"Hi, sweetheart." Clara said, getting up from behind her desk and meeting her daughter halfway to pick her up for a hug and a kiss. "Did you have fun?" she asked and Keara blurted everything out as she swung her plush pony around to go along with her expression.

Nikolai was surprised how she didn't stop for a breath. When she was excited about something, she talked a word per second and didn't stop until all the details were out. Another thing that made her so adorable.

"New York? Wow." Clara said and looked at Nikolai as if she wasn't certain to praise his bravery or shame his stupidity. Then, Crowley stood up and glared at Nikolai. Obviously, he went with shaming his stupidity.

"Her wish and who can say no to that face?" Nikolai asked and at that moment, Keara flashed her parents a pouty lip and big eyes for effect. Although she was very cute, Crowley glanced back at Nikolai, still unimpressed.

"I suggest you check with me, her father, the next time you decide to take her out on a fieldtrip." Crowley said with a grave voice and approached his Queen and daughter with a small smile.

"Daddy, I'm a big girl." She said with a dark grin. Clara kissed her cheek once more and stroked her hair as Keara blinked her eyes at her father, charming him with her cute face.

"You're two." Crowley corrected and she gave him the pouty lip.

Indeed Keara was only two years old, but she had grown fast. However, like Clara, she would eventually age slowly. Either way, her age and her appearance would never match. She would enjoy it now, but hate it the older she gets.

"Crowley." Clara said softly. "She's a Cambion and she's always with Nikolai." She added and kissed Keara again.

"In New York." Crowley said, his voice harsh as he knit his eyebrows together in a frown.

"I know, but she's safe." Clara said and looked at Nikolai with a smile. Crowley grunted and kissed his daughter. She giggled slightly and Nikolai stood there, watching the family. He never could get tired of this, especially seeing Crowley give his daughter rosebuds on her cheek and neck which made her laugh until she was crying.


	3. Beast

The song here is "Beast" by Nico Vega

 **Beast**

As Nikolai watched the cute family, the cell phone in his pocket began to buzz. He knew who it was before he looked at the call display because only one demon had his number. He answered it as he left the study, closing the doors behind him as to not bother the royal family.

"It better be important, Nerilla." He said and she sighed.

"I've got a demon here who thinks he can toss his attitude around and climb the ranks." She said and he could hear that demon and his attitude. It was difficult for Nikolai to not smile. She was finding out that being Lieutenant isn't as fun as it's cracked up to be. Not only that, but he loved intimidating the demons. It was his hobby.

"I'll be there in a flash." He said and hung up. As he was about to leave, the doors of the study opened and as he turned, Keara smiled softly.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked and titled her head, her eyes sparkling. Crowley and Clara approached and listened attentively. Ever since Keara's birth, they put aside some time that was just for her. Demons could be throwing a riot and it wouldn't take them away from their daughter.

That's why Nerilla occupied the office and if she needed backup, she called Nikolai. It was working out pretty good so far.

"I got to teach a demon a lesson." He said and Crowley's eyes glimmered darkly, as if he was somewhat proud that his Lieutenant and his Knight were doing so well.

"Be back for supper?" Clara asked and Keara beamed. Nikolai looked at her and then back up at Clara with a grin.

"You know it." he said and gave Keara a little wave before leaving.

His phone buzzed again and it was simply a text message from Nerilla.

 _If you're not here in ten seconds, I'm killing this jerk myself._

Nikolai walked briskly down the endless corridors far from the mansion, making the demons nearby unsure. They were afraid of him and he wouldn't have it any other way. When he arrived at the office, it was in good timing. He could hear this demon talking shit and Nerilla, who was silent, must have slammed something onto the desk, which stunned the demon into silence.

Nikolai threw open the door and the demon stood still. Nerilla, sitting behind Clara's desk, was glaring at him and on the desk was a large gavel. That was new. What next, a Thor-like hammer when she was really pissed off?

"I'd be careful, Scumbag. In the place of the King and Queen, I can be your executioner." She said as rage burned in her eyes.

"No, I'm more like the executioner. You're the merciless judge." Nikolai said with a slight grin as he crossed his arms over his chest and glanced at the demon. He didn't dare move and Nikolai could sense his fear, which he loved. "Care to fill me in, Buddy?" he said and the demon wanted to look at him, but wasn't sure. He remained silent, as if too afraid to speak.

As touched as Nikolai was, he couldn't have instilled that much fear into the demon. Something was strange with this demon.

"Do I have to cut you open to hear the story?" he asked and the demon cleared his throat and began. Nikolai narrowed his eyes as he stared at him, trying to figure out why this demon was acting so strange.

"There's a human who has interests in Hell and I'm requesting to offer him a deal. The good Lieutenant here is denying my plea." The demon said with sarcasm and Nerilla glared at him, not appreciating it.

"And who's the human?" she asked and then the demon hesitated again.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear that." Nikolai said and watched the demon attentively.

"Just some Satanic punk looking to join Satan's Legions." The demon said. "We can recruit him and his friends and make them into demons in a matter of days rather than years. Imagine –" he began, but Nerilla had had enough and wasn't about to hear this crap again. She brought the gavel back down and made the demon jump in his seat.

"We are not turning Satanists into demons." She snapped and then her rage seemed to calm a little. However, she was just tired of talking and not having that demon listen to her. "Since he's a male chauvinist prick, Nikolai will you please tell this moron that you do not offer deals. Humans summon and then you make a deal. That's how it works and no little shit of a demon is going to change the rules." Nerilla said as she stood up from the chair with the authority of a lieutenant and then the two glared at each other.

"Oh, c'mon Nerilla," Nikolai began with a dark grin on his face. "He's not male chauvinist." He added and the demon actually gave her a small grin, as if he had won. "He's just got issues with authority." He concluded and the demon lost his grin. Now it was her turn to grin. "What do you want to do with him?" he asked and her grin curled into a twisted smile.

"Lock him up with one of the wild Hellhounds; you know the ones that barely listen to the most experienced of Crossroad demons." She said and the demon's face paled as Nikolai approached and gripped his arm hard with a grin on his face. "I think Teddy would be a good choice." She said and Nikolai yanked the demon away, virtually dragging him out of the office.

"You'll see why we call him Teddy – he's cuddly like a big teddy bear." Nikolai joked wickedly as he escorted the demon. When he began to struggle, Nikolai pulled out the First Blade from the back of the waist band of his jeans and placed it on his throat as a reminder.

As they got closer to the cells, he summoned Juliet and asked that she fetch Teddy for him, since the Hellhound would probably attack him if he tried himself; it was that aggressive and he was perfect for the job.


	4. Black Sheep

The song here is "Black Sheep" by Gin Wigmore

 **Black Sheep**

Nikolai threw the demon into a cell and then Juliet returned with the Hellhound named Teddy. He was just a little smaller than Juliet, but he was wicked. He stopped and growled at Nikolai, barring his teeth.

Nikolai pointed at the cell with his First Blade and narrowed his eyes at Teddy.

"Got you a new friend in there." He said and Juliet glanced at the Hellhound and gave a low growl. Teddy approached, glaring at Nikolai, but then stopped when he saw the demon in the cell, in the far corner. Teddy slowly stepped forward and then put his head down low, barring his teeth and snarling.

"You all think you own Hell. You all put yourselves above the rest. But this isn't finished. This is just the beginning." The demon said, but Nikolai paid him no attention. However, it didn't mean he wasn't listening. If this demon wasn't just delivering an empty threat, this could be useful to prevent another rebellion.

In the meanwhile, as soon as the Hellhound was in, Nikolai slammed the door shut, knowing this would startle the creature. The Hellhound lunched forward at the demon, tearing into his left leg and no matter how often the demon slammed his fists into Teddy's head, he wouldn't release his grip.

"If I were you, I'd stop moving. Eventually he'll back off." Nikolai said and watched as the demon ignored his wisdom and screamed as Teddy tore into him like a piranha. "What's this thing you're talking about?" he asked and watched as the demon eventually surrendered. Teddy backed off as Nikolai said it would, but it growled, as if daring the demon to move again.

"You're just going to have to find out for yourself, Cowboy." He said and Nikolai remained placid. "Strap on your boots and enjoy the ride. When it's over, everything will change and it'll be the Hell it should have always been." He concluded and laughed. Teddy launched once again and resumed the role of a piranha.

When he knew he wasn't getting anywhere, Nikolai walked away with Juliet by his side. As soon as they left the endless corridors of cells, Juliet wandered off onto her own path.

Nikolai walked back to the office and when he opened the door, Nerilla was back in her seat behind Clara's desk and she sighed, sitting back.

"I hate it when demons do that. They totally disregard me!" she said and Nikolai grinned as he closed the door behind him.

"They did the same to me, don't take it personal." He said and she grunted as she sat up straight.

"That's what you got to say? Seriously?" she asked him and he laughed as he pulled a chair up to sit in front of the desk.

"They don't think a Lieutenant is necessary. To them one leader is enough. The only time they respected me is when I got this baby." Nikolai said, pulling up his sleeve to reveal the Mark of Cain. Nerilla gave a little laugh and crossed her arms over her chest as she sat back in the chair.

"Don't confuse fear for respect." She said and he grinned.

"All in the same." He replied and tapped the arms of the chair before he jolted up onto his feet, as if he couldn't sit still. "I'd love to stay and chat," he began and she gave a sharp laugh. "But I've got a dinner to attend." He added and then she just grinned at him.

"Lucky bastard." She said and he smiled darkly at her.

"Hey, you wanted my old job. The Lieutenant does as their told and the Knight of Hell gets to eat with the Royal Family." He said and winked at her as she growled in a playful irritated manner. "Oh well." He added and was about to leave the office, but turned and Nerilla glared at him as if she wasn't sure why he was still there.

"What?" she asked.

"Still seeing your booty call Angel?" he asked and now her eyes glimmered with anger.

"Get out." she said and he grinned at her before walking out of the office, closing the door behind him.

Nerilla stood up and turned to the fireplace behind the desks of the King and the Queen. As she stared into the fires of Hell, she thought about Gabriel. The last time she saw him was after he spoke to Crowley about how he knew all about Clara.

She appeared to him on a dirt road and it was clear there was a large divide between them. Crowley was right: although he was a rogue Archangel, he would always side up with Heaven. She was Lieutenant and Hell required her to keep focused on what's best for Hell.

A demon could never be with an angel.

Were they still friends? Was there still a relationship between them or was it just a distance? They were clearly opponents even if they weren't enemies. Could there still be a relationship there or was it better to forget it?

It was difficult to figure it out. The matters of the heart were always so difficult to figure out, especially when your view on love was skewed.

It was probably best to never see Gabriel again.


	5. Ain't No Rest for the Wicked

The song here is "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" by Cage the Elephant

 **Ain't No Rest for the Wicked**

The night Clara delivered her kid, it was horrible; it was like the angels falling from Heaven again, but this was worst. They didn't lose their grace, they died. They were no match for Clara and now, her kid. Hell was more powerful than Heaven and the angels were losing hope if they haven't lost it already.

They also lost faith in Castiel and he was suffering. He lost his home and his kin; he had only his friends the Winchesters. At first, he was pretty depressed, but he soon helped them out on hunts and focused his attention on helping those in need. Although God wasn't around, he seemed to have found a mission: keep them believing in God even though he didn't. At least, that's what the Winchesters were certain of.

Now, two years have passed and Hell hasn't been a threat. No one's seen or heard Team Raise Hell, as Dean coined them. Crowley hasn't popped up to harass them, Clara hasn't come to wreak havoc, their kid hasn't made an appearance yet and Nikolai wasn't going around giving into his killer desires for blood with the Mark of Cain.

For the past two years, things have been eerily silent. Although the Winchesters were enjoying the lack of Hell activity and relaxing in their Men of Letters bunker, they were certain chaos would start up sooner or later. It was just a matter of time.

Not only was Hell quiet, but so were the Cromwells. They haven't heard anything about them until a few days ago.

A fellow hunter who claimed to have been saved by Bobby Singer a couple of times had called to ask for a little bit of help in regards of resources. Sam was nice enough to offer some, but Dean was just blunt and told him to quit hunting while he was still alive.

Before hanging up, the guy asked if they heard about this place that was like Hunters 'R Us. He wasn't sure about it and he'd like to check it out, if only the owner wasn't a witch.

That grabbed the attention of the brothers and they asked him for more information. Was the guy just politely saying she was a bitch? Either way, it was worth digging into.

Well, apparently it's a bookstore filled with all the equipment hunters could ever want and need. It's a hunter's one stop shop. You name it, she's got it. From guns and exorcism manuscripts to a junk yard filled with rundown cars at the edge of town. She's also got all your magical needs at her fingertips.

No, the guy really wasn't trying to say she was a bitch; he really meant a witch.

The guy wondered if she was really helping hunters or if she was some sort of neutral zone in the supernatural world. Witches can't be trusted with their spells and their cauldrons.

And that's when Sam suddenly could no longer tolerate the guy.

"What's her name?" Sam had asked and the guy couldn't remember. He tried, but nothing was making sense. Dean, who already lost his patience with this guy made a suggestion just put things into motion.

"Anne Cromwell?"

"Yeah, that's it!" the guy has said and then had gone silent for a couple of seconds. "How did you know?" Dean rolled his eyes and turned away or he'd refer back to his first comment. The guy really wasn't cut out for being a hunter. He was eventually going to get himself killed.

Sam got the address from the guy and both brothers were thinking the same thing: they could finally figure out what went on that night at The Devil's Alley by checking in on Anne.

They never found out what deal she made with Crowley. She got her mother back, but at what price? They tried to find out, but Gadreel had been worst than a bulldog. There was nothing they could have done and now, two years later, she had her own store where she was helping hunters.

Was it her way of fixing her mistake before she dies?

Then, like Castiel reminded them, Gadreel would never let her risk her life. She meant more to him than Heaven. If she made a deal with Crowley, it wasn't for her soul. So what then? What did she have that Crowley had wanted?

Once they found out that Clara was pregnant, the only thing they could think of was the fact that Anne was a Wiccan with some spells up her sleeve. Did Crowley want a spell from her? For what reason? And that's only if they were on the right track.

"I don't think she'll like getting a visit from us." Sam said, remembering how she acted the last time they saw her. She wanted nothing to do with them. He couldn't blame her. Her mother died and she went to them for help, only to find out that they only cared about all the souls that couldn't get into Heaven and that were later snatched up by Hell.

"Well, we'll just be passing through." Dean said and Castiel tilted his head as if slightly disappointed that his friend couldn't trust that the Cromwells were fine. "So, we leave tonight." He added and the brothers went to pack their things, leaving Castiel to stand in place, looking at the table where that paper containing her address lingered.

His friend Gadreel had no difficulty letting go of his grace. He had found a reason to live as a human. Did he miss his grace? Heaven?

But it's different when you chose to leave Heaven, unlike being cast out of it. And if Castiel decided to relinquish his grace, what would be his reason to live as a human? He could barely find one as an angel. Helping the humans was as good as any, but he still felt like something was missing.

Then again, perhaps it was always missing...


	6. Rhiannon

The song here is "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac

 **Rhiannon**

It was a drive of about two days, but they reached their destination. It was a small and quiet town and there, on Main Street, was the bookstore. It was much bigger than they imagined, but it made sense, if it really had everything that the clueless hunter guy said it had.

The building had a second story, but it looked like apartments.

Dean pulled up in front of the bookstore and looked through the windows. They hesitated and no one broke the silence in the car. There seemed to be no one inside, despite the "Open" sign hanging in the glass door. Eventually, Sam, Dean and Castiel climbed out of the Impala and looked through the windows one last awkward time before opening the door and stepping in.

As they opened the door, there was a little bell that made such a sweet welcoming sound. It was obviously to alert Anne that she had a customer, but she didn't show up.

When walking in, there were tables in the center and bookshelves all around. There were even some smaller bookshelves to the right of those tables. At the back, starting in the left corner going to half of the back wall was a counter with a couple of computers and shelves with books in clear bags as if they had been specially ordered for customers. Behind that counter, in the center of the wall was a door marking "For Employees Only". Off to the right corner were a few tables and chairs with a counter of baking and a few coffee machines, along with some smaller bookshelves with books marked "On Clearance".

Dean and Castiel began looking at the books on the tables in front of them, waiting for someone to greet them. If they had to wait for Anne, they might as well poke around her store. Well, these books were your typical books. There was nothing supernatural here. Sam eventually glanced at them and gave a slight frown, as if asking Dean what was wrong.

"You sure it's not just an ordinary bookstore?" he asked, holding up a romance novel, and then, unexpectedly, that familiar voice grabbed their attention.

"Looks that way, doesn't it?"

They all turned and saw Anne standing behind the counter, in front of that door for employees. She had her hands folded together on the counter and smiled sweetly at them with her usual pixie haircut, only she seemed to have added highlights.

They stood in silence, not accustomed to her smiling at them. They were used to her being angry or grief stricken. This sight sort of stunned them.

"Well, came here just to stare at me?" she asked and laughed softly as they approached. "I hear good news travels fast." She added and Sam was the first to smile and confirm it.

"Yeah, a hunter called us and told us about your store." He said and her smile seemed so bright and full of happiness. They couldn't help but feel happy for her and slightly envious at the same time. She had gone through so much crap and here she was, smiling because everything was alright. She had her mother; it was like her death and time in Hell never happened.

"So, Hunters 'R Us?" Dean asked and she met his eyes and gave a soft laugh again.

"The front section of the store is for the general public, gotta make money you know. And for hunters seeking information or help," she said and pointed to the employee door behind her. "Through there." She added and grinned. "Curiosity got the best of the Winchesters?" she asked and Sam smiled, nodding. "Well, come on back for a special tour." She added and walked over to the edge of the counter and unlocked the small door, opening it for them.

As she did, the Winchesters stopped and stared at her stomach. Castiel knitted his eyebrows together in confusion, then took notice of what had grabbed Sam and Dean's attention. Her abdomen stuck out in a firm sounded shape.

"You're pregnant." Sam said and they met her eyes. She smiled softly and rubbed her stomach tenderly.

"Seems that way." She replied with a slight grin.

"Congrats." Dean said and just smiled.

"How far along?" Sam asked and she looked down and back up at him with a sort of glow in her face and a sparkle in her eyes. Another sight that sort of stunned them. She was no longer the girl they knew; she had grown so much and became a total different woman.

"About nineteen weeks." She replied and walked back to the door, opening it for them and waiting for them to step through. Once they did, there was a short corridor with a staircase going to the second floor. At the end was another door.

"Do you own the apartments upstairs?" Sam asked and she smiled at him and nodded her head.

"We do. One belongs to my mother and the other is for Gadreel and me." she replied and the men smiled, looking back at her stomach again.

"And soon, three." Dean said and her smile widened, growing brighter.

They got to the door and once opened, it was a warehouse that was added onto the bookstore. They could tell it used to be a parking lot, but she made it into another part of the store for hunters only.

As they glanced around, the security was high and tight with cameras at every angle. She even had Devil's Traps and other sigils to ward off evil. They were impressed.

Around the warehouse, there were glass cases with weapons inside and in the center, were tables. One had books and computers for consultation while another had the basic hunter essentials such as salt and holy water. There were more tables filled with hunter goodies, and then the far right corner had a table with candles, herbs, potions, Tarot cards and spell books for sale. Behind that one was a counter with similar items that seemed to have been used a few times.

The men continued looking around as Anne explained.

"All at a hunter's discount." She said and the guys smiled. "Or an exchange is acceptable, since we all know hunting isn't a paying job." She added and they smiled at her, feeling sort of proud of her. She was no longer the girl that came to them for help; she was the woman that one would run to for help.

"And in the corner?" Castiel asked and when she followed his gaze, turned back to them and her smile changed into a grin.

"I do sell my services as a Wiccan to help out those that don't know a poem from a spell." She said and the Winchesters nodded. "Of course, if I don't approve, I refuse; but I haven't come across that problem yet." She concluded and the men seemed content. "Either I cast for them, construct or find just the right spell." She added to clarify.

They began walking back to leave the warehouse as Anne continued talking about the things she has ordered and sold. They couldn't believe she had gotten such good connections in two years. They were definitely envious.

Castiel was quite impressed by the various things she had. It was all very helpful to new hunters. She had pamphlets about all different sorts of sigils and she even sold journals where she encouraged new hunters to record their hunts. It was a splash of old-school hunting that never ran out of style with new age hunting that would have helped them out when they had started with their father.

"Mom will have a lunch prepared by now, so c'mon up for something to eat. And I'm sure Gadreel will be in soon." She said and Castiel walked a little faster so he could walk beside her.

"Where is he?" he asked and she smiled as she looked over at him.

"He's at the junkyard trying to find a part for one of our customers. He went to college for a mechanical course so he could work on vehicles. He's studied every make and model. You should hear him talk about engines." She said and laughed softly. "Sexy." She added and laughed again at Castiel's slightly embarrassed expression. "We also own the junkyard." She added and that made the brothers think of Bobby and his collection of used vehicles for parts.

They were definitely proud of her.

Along the walls were a few bookshelves with more supernatural themed books, nearly matching the collection they had at the Men of Letter's bunker. However, that's not what grabbed Sam's attention. He pulled out a book and froze. Dean only noticed when he glanced over beside him and Sam wasn't there.

"C'mon Sam, we're getting food." Dean said and when he saw what his brother was holding, he ripped it out of Sam's hands and flipped through it. "What the Hell, Anne?" he asked and when he turned around, she casually turned and met their eyes with a soft smile. "The 'Supernatural' books?" he asked and her smile broadened slightly as she began approaching them.

"Yes, the 'Supernatural' books by Carver Edlund." She replied and the brothers quickly lost their friendliness. Suddenly, that proud feeling they were feeling for her had gone out the window. How could she have these books? It was atrocious!

"Also known as Chuck Shurley." Dean said and closed the book, lifting it up and shaking it like a preacher would a bible. "How can you have these here? These are about our lives." He added and her expression didn't change. She remained calm and her smile was still soft.

"I know. I've read them. We all did." She said and Dean glanced away with a clenched jaw. Sam was also unimpressed and looked at all the books that were slightly dusty, as if no one else had touched them. That was comforting, but what twisted his stomach was the fact that Anne had every single one of them, even binder's with the unpublished ones that Becky had released on the Internet. "I searched far and wide for these books. I understand now all the crap you two gave me and it's important to have them in my store.

"I can understand your anger, since the books leave nothing to the imagination, but they are so important in a way that's difficult to put into words." Anne said and then the softness faded after a few seconds from her sweet face and was replaced by the hard expression they were used to. "They can offer so much hope to those who have lost it. They can show that yes, it's a difficult life, but look at all the good it leaves behind. Without hunters, the world would be a buffet for monsters and no one would have a clue on how to stop it." She added and the brothers didn't look convinced. Seemed they no longer believed hunting was worth it; that feeling that they've done something good. They were just so used to it, like they felt stuck, like they couldn't do anything else. Hunting was hunting. Have they forgotten how it felt when they thought they were alone in this miserable monster-filled world? Have they forgotten how many lives they saved; all the monsters they killed that would have done so much damage? Yes, they've lost so much in the process and they surely didn't see themselves as heroes, but the fact remains that they are.

After a few seconds of silence, she narrowed her eyes and snapped at them, knowing her words meant very little to them.

"Look, thin layer of dust means no one wants to read them. Now, it's my store; don't like it, too fucking bad. Suck it up, buttercups." She concluded and snatched the book from Dean's hand, her eyes cold. "If you're staying, I suggest you follow me before the food gets cold. If you're leaving, don't let the door hit your ass on the way out." She tossed the book on the nearest table as she turned around and then she left the warehouse.

Castiel stood back as if he was afraid she's push him out of her way and then glanced back at the brothers with a frown. Obviously, he wasn't happy that they had made a scene and upset Anne in the process.

The brothers exchanged glances, annoyed about the "Supernatural" books, but not enough to leave on a bad note. They couldn't be that cold towards Anne. And they still wanted to know what had occurred between her and Crowley two years ago.

 **Yeah, this chapter is longer than usual, but I couldn't help myself. And I'm sure you, my wonderful readers, don't mind.**

 **Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews! I love hearing from you!**


	7. Pretty Face

The song here is "Pretty Face" by Sóley

 **Pretty Face**

What that demon said disturbed him, but he wouldn't be able to tell Crowley now. It would have to wait after little Keara is in bed and he was dreading to report it; Crowley won't like what he has to say. Then, once Clara hears about it, both will be as harsh as Teddy, wanting to protect Keara against whatever they'll be facing. That'll make his job harder; Nikolai do this, Nikolai do that…

But he wouldn't say it out loud.

Things were perfect! They were all happy and Hell was booming like usual. There was no word from the peanut gallery known as the Winchesters and the Cromwells and the angels were silent as the grave. Now… something was just beyond the horizon and was about to ruin their happy ending.

This bothered Nikolai as he walked back to the mansion and once the front doors opened, little Keara rushed to him and gripped his hand, virtually dragging him through the place to the dining room. He had to let this problem go for now and focus on the dinner.

She took her seat and beside her was an empty chair that was supposed to be set across from her. She tapped it with a sweet smile, inviting him to sit next to her. Like he had a choice. Fortunately, he liked hanging out with her.

Crowley and Clara entered the dining room and placed platters of food onto the table. It smelled really good and little Keara was clapping her hands, almost jumping in her chair.

"Mac and cheese?" she asked and Clara grinned at her.

"We had that last night." Clara said and now it was her daughter who grinned.

"Alfredo Mac and cheese?" she asked and now Clara frowned playfully.

"Alright," Crowley said as he took his seat. Both him and Clara sat at the ends of the table, looking at their daughter. "Princess, grace please." He said, only because it was important to Clara that she learn good manners, and Keara smiled sweetly. She sat there with her hands folded together on the table. If it wasn't for her being a Cambion, she'd look like a little angel.

"God bless Hell." She said, losing her sweetness, and immediately went to grab the plates of food in front of her.

Clara frowned at Crowley who just smiled darkly with pride in his eyes.

"I liked it." he said and she sighed with a slight grin as if she couldn't disagree, then got up to help her daughter by serving her a healthy portion of each dish. The last time Keara tried to serve herself, she nearly pigged out, making herself sick.

"More." Keara would say, but when her mother frowned with a spark of annoyance in her eyes, little Keara looked down at her plate and remained silent. "Thank you, Mother." She would say and Clara would glance at Crowley who was grinning.

"You're encouraging her." she said and he lifted up his hands in defense.

"She's her mother's daughter." He said and Clara just glared at him. Keara watched the interaction her parents were having and glanced at Nikolai with a grin very much like that of her father. It was almost as if she liked watching her parents bicker.

Nikolai frowned playfully and shook his head, as to tell her to just ignore it and eat her dinner.

Clara sat down once Keara was taken care of and they ate in silence. Nikolai found it odd for him and Crowley to be eating as well, but little Keara didn't understand why her and Clara were the only ones in Hell that had to eat, let alone sleep. So, to avoid a big argument with his daughter, Crowley decided to just eat as well and like Hell Nikolai wasn't joining in on the fun.

"So, what was the fuss?" Crowley asked Nikolai and before his Knight could open his mouth, Keara and Clara shot Crowley cold glares.

"Daddy!" little Keara snapped.

"We said no business at the table, Dear." Clara said and Crowley just rolled his eyes and met the cold eyes of his Queen. Nikolai, on the other hand, just kept eating.

"Old habits don't die, Darling." He replied and the two just stared at each other for a few seconds. Clara continued eating as Crowley just smiled at his daughter. She stared at him, as if to see if he'd behave himself and then grinned. A second later, she cleaned off her plate. She had the appetite of a Hellhound!

She pushed back her chair and was about to slid off, when she met her mother's cold stare.

"May I be excused, Mother?" she asked and Clara's stare narrowed slightly, as if not appreciating the sarcasm behind the use of 'Mother'. "Please, Mommy?" she asked more sweetly and Clara nodded.

She slid off her chair and glanced at Nikolai.

"Gonna come play later?" she asked and he sighed.

"Not another tea party." He replied and she sighed with a grin as she rolled her eyes.

"Didn't hear you complain last time." she said and titled her head as she looked at him. They stared at each other, as if trying to make the other buckle under pressure. When she placed her little hands on her hips, Nikolai sighed and broke eye contact.

"Fine." He said and she giggled lightly as she walked out of the dining room and then skipped down the corridors, humming a song.

When Nikolai glanced at Crowley, he frowned at his King's smirk.

"Tea party?" Crowley asked and Nikolai grunted.

"It's either that or we play 'Dressup'." Nikolai said and his frown deepened as Crowley chuckled.

"I think Keara inherited my skill for torture." Crowley said as he met Clara's eyes and she couldn't help but smirk as well. Nikolai crossed his arms over his chest and glared at both, not appreciating that they were enjoying his misery.

"Oh, he secretly likes it." Clara said and Crowley gave another chuckle. But, she then looked at Nikolai and smiled sweetly. "You're doing good." She said and Nikolai grunted and was about to continue eating, when he realized he didn't have to.

He stood up and excused himself. Also something he didn't have to do, but it was a habit; being a role-model for Keara, showing her that it was important to respect your parents' rules.

Now it was off to another fucking tea party. Oh joy.


	8. Bad Moon Rising

The song here is "Bar Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival

 **Bad Moon Rising**

Nikolai could hear that classical music from the end of the hallway. He hesitated, knowing that Keara would welcome him with an accent like that of her father while holing up a little tea cup. She'd invite him to sit down in a ridiculously small chair and suggest he wear a tiara and a pink feathery boa.

She'll offer him some plastic cupcakes and, hopefully, she won't ask to paint his nails pink like the last time. She's always seeing what she can get away with. If he said no to nail polish, she'll see what he says about fake nails and so on. She was crafty like her parents.

And speaking of pink, for a Princess of Hell, she sure likes the damned color… probably just to annoy everyone.

Nikolai sighed and walked forward to her door and pushed it open.

Little Keara, wearing her tiara and her pink gloves, lifted up a little cup and smiled.

"Do come in, Sir." She said in that accent. Beside her, in another chair, was the stuffed animal he got for her in New York and on the floor, was Ginger wearing the pink boa. Better the Hellhound than him. "What a pleasant evening." She said and Nikolai smirked, but it had no charm, just boredom. "Smile Niki." She said, almost like the growl of a Hellhound.

"Cookie." He said as he entered the room and closed the door behind him. She narrowed her eyes and scrunched up her face, as if to make him think she was angry.

"It's Princess." She corrected, but he knew, deep down, she liked him calling her Cookie.

"Alright, Princess Cookie." He said as he tried to sit in that freakishly small chair, catching a glimpse of her grin. She handed him a cup on a little saucer and he looked at it with a slight frown. "For once, can we actually have some sort of liquid in these cups?" he asked and she smirked.

"I'm not old enough for the drinks you like." She said and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"So we drink air?" he asked and she frowned at him, as if annoyed that he wouldn't let this go. "How about Pepsi or Red Bull?" he asked her and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Mommy said not after supper." She said and watched as he sighed, rubbing his face.

"Fine." He said as if defeated. He looked up as she pushed back her chair and walked with a bounce in her step, getting something out of her trunk of toys.

Her room really was fit for a princess. A big canopy bed with toys, big and small, everywhere. She had pink sparkling pillows and rugs with posters of unicorns and cats. To show just how much she liked unicorns, she had a big unicorn, the size of a miniature pony, in the corner to rock back and forth. The walls were white with glow in the dark stickers of stars and the Moon on the wall behind the rocking unicorn. Then, she had a walk-in closet filled with clothes and jewelry to wear and for dress-up. All the women in New York would be jealous.

Looking around, one would think she was a spoiled rotten child, but she wasn't at all. She was very much loved by her parents, by Nerilla and by Nikolai. They gave her everything they thought she could want, but all she wanted was her family to always be close to her. Everything else was just a bonus package.

Clara once asked Keara what was her favorite toy and she replied Nikolai with a slight giggle. It was sort of insensitive, but it revealed that material things were just that to her.

"How's your schooling going?" he asked her as he looked at the plastic cupcakes, not understanding why she couldn't have real ones.

"Fine." She said, nearly tossing everything out of her trunk, whispering about stupid little plastic shoes that always fall to the bottom. "Yesterday Mom was teaching me Multiplications after reviewing additions and substractions." She added.

Besides good manners, Clara watched to teach important subjects and skills to Keara that she would learn at school like other kids. One thing everyone had noticed is that she's way ahead of children her age and not just in the physical department.

"It was funny." She added, apparently finding those stupid little plastic shoes and now sticking them on something. "Mom said if I have thrity-seven souls and she takes away nine, how many do I have? I said 'a problem'." She added and giggled. "I said 'why should Mommy take the souls that I earned? Mommy should get her own'." She concluded and Nikolai grinned.

"Bet your Dad was proud." He added and she turned to see him over her shoulder with a grin.

"Daddy gave me a lollipop." She said and then returned to the table with a couple of dolls; one was a groom with the fake lush of hair and the classic California smile and the other was a bride with the fake bleach blonde hair, the fake luscious lips and the plastic chest. And they say that's appropriate for children?

"What is that?" Nikolai asked her and she smiled as she held them up.

"Ken and Barbie, genius." She replied and he knit his eyebrows together.

"I see that, but what's with the whole wedding attire?" he asked her with a slight disgusted look on his face. She smiled and even giggled a little.

"They're getting married!" she screeched with excitement and that disgusted look on his face deepened. She giggled as if she didn't notice Nikolai's expression.

"I give them two months at best." He said as she sat down with her dolls, making them sit on the table. "And I two seconds before I lose my mind." He whispered as he pretended to sip his tea cup of air, considering snapping his fingers and conjuring a little whiskey.

She began talking about their wedding, how she can be Barbie and he can be Ken. But Nikolai couldn't bring himself to listen; the subject bored him. Obviously, he loved the kid, but all of this was driving him nuts. He was going to need a stiff drink once she's tucked into bed.


	9. Echo

The song here is "Echo" by Foxes

 **Echo**

The door creaked open and Clara stepped in as if not to disturb the fun. She smiled as Keara and Nikolai were playing with the Barbie dolls and her smile broadened as they noticed her. Keara's face lit up and it was clear to see she was having fun.

Nikolai, on the other hand, wasn't. He wasn't afraid to show his discomfort. It was like a cry for help.

"Bedtime will be soon, Keara. Clean up and go get ready." Clara said as she stepped into the room.

"Okay." Keara said and she began putting her toys away.

Nikolai stood up and walked over awkwardly, as if his legs were asleep. Clara met his eyes and she could see something was wrong, besides the fact that he had been forced to play with the Ken doll.

"Can I talk to you outside for a minute?" he asked and she nodded, leaving the room and when she turned, Nikolai gently turned her around and nudged her to continue. Apparently, just outside of the room wasn't good enough for him. Did he think Keara would eavesdrop?

When they were at a good distance, she crossed her arms over her chest.

"What is it?" she asked and Nikolai seemed to have a bit of difficulty getting it off his chest.

"I've been thinking for a while that there was something there, but brushed it off. You know, she has no friends, like at all. The only friend she has is me. But then, I started thinking that maybe I was onto something and I'm right, Clara." He said and she arched an eyebrow at him.

"What are you saying?" she asked, not grasping his ramblings.

"Before she was born, when you thought I was going to challenge Crowley, you said if anything happens to him, I'd be King." He whispered. "You then said that you'd arrange something between Keara and me." he added and Clara nodded her head, remembering that moment. She worried that Nikolai would challenge or, worse of all, kill Crowley. So she later then said he could be with her or with Keara when she's older to secure his place as King if Crowley should die somehow. Yeah, safe to say that it was the hormones. It felt like a stupid idea now. "You didn't go through with it, right?" he asked her.

"What? No." she asked and there was a spark of annoyance in his eyes and then he showed the back of his left hand. On his hand was a plastic ring. She glanced at it and then back at him. "It's a plastic ring." She said and his eyes were dull, as if he wasn't impressed.

"On what finger, Clara?" he asked.

When she looked again, the plastic ring was on his wedding finger. When she glanced back at him, she couldn't help but struggle against a smile that was trying to break free.

"It's not funny, Clara." He said and she couldn't hide it anymore.

"She likes you a lot." She said and his eyes narrowed as if he was becoming angry.

"That's an understatement." he replied and dropped his hand. "Do you know what she told me? She threatened me." he added and Clara let out a chuckle and then placed her hand over her mouth to hide her grin. "She told me that if I remove this ring," he said, showing the back of his hand again and pointing to the ring with his free hand. "I'll regret it." he concluded and Clara laughed a little more than she should have.

"That's a threat?" she asked him. "What's the worst she'll do? Throw a fit?" she asked and Nikolai placed his hands in his pockets, clenching his jaw.

"Flaring tempers do run in the family." He said and Clara's laugh and smile were cut short. When he met her eyes, she was now sharpening her stare on him. "You've got to talk to her. She's just a kid and I'm old enough to be her grandfather." He added and Clara lost her anger and looked like a mother would: concerned.

"She sees your vessel and to her, that's who you are. She knows demons aren't like Cambions, but she's two years old; it'll take time for her to really understand. And it's like you said: you're her only friend who so happens to be good looking." Clara said and then grinned. "My baby's first crush." She said and Nikolai turned around, clenching his jaw again as she giggled.

"Just great; Crowley's really gonna hate me now." He said and Clara laughed softly.

"I'm sure she'll grow out of it, but yes, I'll talk to her." she said and tapped him on the shoulder before going to check in on her daughter.

Nikolai stayed in place, trying to move the ring on his finger. As he played with it, he realized that Keara had nothing to worry about… because the ring was stuck on his finger.


	10. Breathing Underwater

The song here is "Breathing Underwater" by Metric

 **Breathing Underwater**

Anne led them up the stairs to the apartments and knocked on one of the doors. It opened and her mother smiled at her, but her face went blank when she saw the men behind her daughter.

"Well, what a surprise." She said, slowly smiling, and stepped back as she allowed them to follow her daughter in. "Never thought I'd see you boys here." She said and glanced at Castiel with a slight confused expression. "Have we ever met?" she asked.

"I believe not." Castiel said and she smiled all the same.

"Gadreel's not back yet?" Anne asked and her mother grinned as she closed the door.

"He's over in your apartment cleaning up before lunch." She replied and Anne's face lit up, which that and her glow from the pregnancy, made her almost unrecognizable to the brothers. "He'll be over soon." Viviane said as she tapped Anne's shoulder and then invited the men into the small kitchen.

Castiel and the brothers sat at the little kitchen table, but quickly got up to help Viviane and Anne to bring more chairs to the table. Once that was set up, Viviane placed some sandwiches on the table with some bowls and when the men were ready, she brought the pot of soup to serve them.

"None for me, thanks." Castiel said and then Viviane let out a soft laugh.

"Angels don't eat, right. Almost forgot." She said and continued.

Then, the door opened and Anne got up and welcomed Gadreel at the door with a quick kiss on the lips. He followed her to the kitchen and when he saw the Winchesters and his old friend Castiel, he was stunned.

"They dropped in for a visit." Anne said and when she was about to sit back in her chair at the table, Gadreel snapped out of it and pulled back her chair to help her. "Thanks, honey." She said and he sat next to her.

"Didn't expect to see you all." He said with that raspy voice and the men were awkwardly silent. Both Anne and Viviane exchanged glances and knew that the tension was due to the last time they were all together. The Winchesters wanted to save Heaven's souls that Hell stole while all Anne and Gadreel wanted to do was contact Crowley for her mother's soul to be freed. They clashed and the brothers felt it was their right to know what went on between Anne and Crowley.

Still to that day, none of them told the Winchesters that they were related to Clara and the deal was simply an exchange: a spell for Clara and a supposed transfer to Heaven for Viviane that later became a resurrection, thanks to the Queen of Hell.

It's been two years, so the question was why were they still keeping it a secret?

"Well, we heard about the bookstore and thought we'd visit." Sam said with his friendly attitude while Dean looked like an interrogator just waiting for them to let something slip out. "It's great." Sam added and the Cromwells smiled.

"Thank you." Anne said and Gadreel took her hand, smiling at her as if he was proud of her.

"Coffee?" Viviane asked and the brothers refused politely. "Well, how has it been?" she asked and it felt like they were all trying to avoid that question because it would eventually lead to the question the Winchesters were dying to ask: what did you get from your deal with Crowley? They couldn't imagine she'd get back her mother without having to sacrifice something.

"Hunting's been good." Sam said and glanced at Dean who was still silent. "That's about it." he added and smiled politely at Viviane. "You?" he asked and glanced at Anne and Gadreel and smiled nervously, as they had already seen that Anne is pregnant.

"Oh, things have been great." She said and glanced at Anne with a smile. "I can't wait for the little one to be born." She added and Anne sighed and she glanced at Sam, as if he was the only one listening.

"She already bought loads of baby clothes and toys." She replied and Viviane laughed.

"Can't help it." she replied and turned away to make some tea. Gadreel glanced at Anne and smiled, yet again showing pride in his eyes.

"So, things are going good." Dean said and Anne looked at him, knowing what he was trying to say. Thus, she decided to just let the inevitable happen, just to get it over and done with.

"It's still in your mind, isn't it?" she asked and no one said a word. "That's why you're really here." She said and Sam tried to deny it, but she didn't want to hear it from him. "Crowley was going to transfer my mother's soul to Heaven, but Clara resurrected her instead." Anne said and before anyone could object or ask questions, she continued, barely pausing in between her sentences. "There was no catch, just compassion whether you want to believe it or not. I performed a spell for Clara to ease her pain. That's all Crowley wanted from me; nothing less and nothing more.

"And we couldn't tell you anything because we had learnt that we are Clara's distant relatives and we kept you all in the dark because we knew the chances of us being used as pawns were too high for comfort. An angel had tried, so we didn't need you two to try either. We weren't about to let something happen to her or her unborn baby. So we played it neutral. Don't like it, get out." she said and the apartment was eerily silent.

Viviane didn't look thrilled that her daughter said everything and Gadreel looked worried that this was affecting their baby. He glanced at the Winchesters and Castiel as if he was ready to throw them out.

"You wanted our help and you –" Dean began, but she cut him off with that sharp tone.

"You were the one that wasn't going to help me get my mother out of Hell, so why was I going to stay around you?" she asked and the apartment was silent once more. Dean clenched his jaw slightly and nodded.

"You came to us, wanting our help and as soon as we're useless to you, you leave." he said and she grinned at him, no empathy in her facial expression.

"Yes you were, but that was your choice." She replied and Dean didn't react. "I wasn't going to give up." She added and her eyes narrowed. "I'm sure you can relate." She concluded and Dean's jaw clenched again, knowing she was referring to the Supernatural books.

Sam glanced between them and knew the visit was over. He congratulated the Cromwells once again for their bookstore and for the baby that was on its way, thanked them for their hospitality, and then prodded his brother out of the apartment with Castiel behind them. He stopped briefly to tell Gadreel that he was happy for them and followed the Winchesters out.

It was as awkward as awkward reunions go.


	11. Rush

The song here is "Rush" by Nemesea

 **Rush**

When Nikolai left the hallway and turned down another, he looked up and saw Crowley waiting for him at the end of it. His hands were in his pockets and he had that authoritative look in his eyes. His expression was hard to read, but Nikolai knew family time was over and it was now time for business.

Two years ago, when Keara was born, he thought that maybe Crowley would be in a better mood more often. Clearly, that wasn't the case. He was in good humor with Clara and Keara, but when both were out of the room, he was himself if not more sharp and hard. Having a child didn't make him tender; having a daughter made him somewhat more protective and ruthless. It was like he only reserved his kindness for his Queen and daughter.

Well, a little bit for his Knight and Lieutenant, but there wasn't much to brag about.

"What was the commotion?" he asked and Nikolai prepared himself for a flaring temper.

"Trouble." Nikolai said and he stopped approaching when he got close enough for comfort. "Some crossroad demon decided he'd like to throw some deals to a Satanic cult." He added and Crowley narrowed his eyes, not liking the sound of this. Great, then he was really going to hate this next part. "I threw him into a cell and there, he warned that everything was going to change." He concluded and Crowley's expression didn't change.

Nikolai watched him, sure he would eventually be concerned, but his King didn't seem worried.

"And?" Crowley asked. Nikolai frowned, not certain his King got just how serious this was.

"I know when something is a potential danger and this is it." Nikolai said and his tone was slightly more on edge than he anticipated, but it didn't seem to bother Crowley. "He has serious issues with us and that means you, Clara, Keara, Nerilla and me." he added and Crowley just arched his eyebrow as if he found this to be boring or something along those lines. Was he not worried about this?

For someone who was said to be more ruthless now that he had a daughter, he sure made Nikolai look like a liar.

"Just another pathetic demon that doesn't like that I claimed the throne of Hell when it was vacant. They idol threat rather than have the balls to do something about it." Crowley said and Nikolai didn't like the sound of that at all. He had to convince Crowley otherwise.

"This asshole means it, Crowley. Something is coming and we are the target. The demon rather be torn to shit by the meanest Hellhound than spill the details. This is big and I'd think you'd take this seriously because he didn't specify that he was okay with Keara. She's a target like the rest of us." He said and only then did Crowley show that fierce spark of a King in his eyes.

"You might want to tread carefully, Knight." Crowley said, but Nikolai wasn't giving up.

"He said, and I quote: 'Hell would become what it should have always been', unquote." He said and paused, trying to see if Crowley now believed him. Uncertain, he continued. "This might mean another rebellion to vacate the throne and everyone involved and something tells me this one will be worse than the last one." He added and Crowley clenched his jaw as he glared at him, but his silence wasn't just that he was angry at Nikolai for saying all of this.

Nikolai would have looked over his shoulder, but he knew who it was.

"What's this?" Clara asked with concern in her voice and when she approached, she glanced from Crowley to Nikolai for answers. "What's going on?" she asked and fixed her gaze on Nikolai.

Her stare weighted on him and he told her everything he had said to Crowley. Her eyes would dart to Crowley as if she wasn't thrilled about this as well as for his lack of concern. Then, as soon as Nikolai had given all the details, she turned to Crowley and a spark of anger flared in her eyes.

However, Crowley wasn't in the mood to be chewed out by his Queen.

"Before you start sinking your fangs into me Darling, need I remind you all the cowardly threats we received although the demons claimed they adored you and Keara? It's me they loathe. This is to infuriate me. It's a childish game they play and I won't play into it." he said, but Clara's anger continued to brew in her eyes.

Although her demeanor was as calm as it could be at the moment, she would eventually speak her mind. As Crowley became harsher after Keara's birth, Clara became sterner. Crowley may have a valid point, but she wasn't having it.

The two glared at each other and Nikolai watched Clara, knowing she would soon give him the orders to dig deeper into this matter.

She then cooled the rage in her eyes and turned to Nikolai, speaking softly, but sternly.

"Nikolai, you pull out all the details from this little worm and when you're done, I want you to mutilate the bastard. We're going to make an example out of the little fucker." She said and turned fiercely, walking down the corridor like she was on a warpath.

Nikolai fought against a smirk trying to break out on his lips, knowing that Crowley was pissed.

For good measure, he glanced at his King, waiting for his permission to leave. Crowley just glared at him, and when he followed Clara, Nikolai left, snapping his knuckles as he began planning how he'd torture the demon for information.


	12. Lil Darlin

The song here is "Lil Darlin" by ZZ Ward featuring The O'My's

 **Lil Darlin**

Clara stormed into the master bedroom and the fires of Hell in the fireplace flickered violently as if reacting to her rage. She could kill someone, just to let off some steam. Some scum thought that Hell's rulers were going to be overthrown so easily and that everything was going to be hunky dory? Crowley told her what Hell was like before he made himself King. And that's what the demons wanted? Were they insane?

Crowley walked in and when she met his eyes, there was anger in them as well.

"I can't believe you didn't believe him." she said as she crossed her arms over her chest, lifting her chin up and sharpening her glare. "When it includes the safety of your daughter, I thought you'd take no chances." She added and he closed the gap between them and gripped her arms tightly and narrowed his eyes at her.

"I do, but I will not tremble at every threat made to us. Those spineless demons are itching for a fight they aren't suited for. It's pathetic." He said and she grunted as she tried to break free from his grip, but couldn't. She narrowed her eyes at him and then she knew by the look in his eyes what he was trying to do. Well, it wasn't going to work. Not this time.

"Seducing me won't calm my rage." She said and his lips twitched into a half grin. "I want this over before it even begins. I'm tired of there always being something trying to cut us off at the knees and ripping everything out of our hands. I won't have it." she added as Crowley's eyes grew dark. His hands fell to her hips and he pulled her pelvis into him hard as he let a growl escape his throat.

"I'll torture the bastard myself." He said and she tried pushing away from him, but struggled more than anything. "No one delivers pain like I do." he added and Clara snorted at that statement as she surrendered against Crowley's grip.

"You never were modest." She murmured and his grin broadened just before he leaned in to graze her neck with his lips. She closed her eyes as a slight shiver ran down her spine as his lips tickled her skin, but she couldn't yet let go of this imminent threat. "I'm really not impressed how you think romancing me will make me forget that we're possibly in danger." She said and when she opened her eyes, she immediately spotted something peaking around the doorframe of their bedroom, trying not to be seen while clutching a stuffed pony nearly as big as her.

Clara dropped her voice to a whisper and tried to get Crowley to stop and to turn around.

"I'd hate to interrupt you, but we have a little mischievous problem lurking outside of our bedroom." She said and then Crowley pulled away and turned, sensing his daughter watching them, giggling as quietly as she could.

"Keara." He said in that fatherly tone that said he wasn't impressed in a sort of playful way. She hesitated in stepping out as she clutched her pony up to her face, trying to muffle her giggles. "What are you doing out of bed?" he asked her and she dropped her pony enough to show her grin.

"I couldn't sleep." She replied and looked at her mother, hiding her grin behind her pony again.

"Well, we'll see about that." Crowley said as he approached his daughter and scooped her up into his arms, carrying her off to her room while blowing rosebuds into her neck, making her laugh all the way there.

As much as she loved watching him being a loving father, it was strange. She was so used to him being ruthless that it sort of surprised her that he'd give Keara kisses to make her laugh and tell her stories to make her smile. He was the bloody King of Hell, but with their daughter, he was just a typical father.

Her little family was just so perfect, which is why this threat was so disturbing to her.

She quickly left the master bedroom and then the mansion, off to find Nikolai and that demon. She was going to unleash some of her anger and get to the bottom of this. They're going to find out what's going on and they're going to hunt down every demon involved.

She's the bloody Queen of Hell and she's one powerful Cambion as well… seems it was time to send out a little reminder.


	13. Home

The song here is "Home" by Gabrielle Aplin

 **Home**

They were on their way back home, but stopped off mid-way for gas and some food, since Sam's stomach was nearly roaring up a protest at Dean's consistent speeding. Castiel was silent in the backseat and never stepped out as Dean filled up the gas tank while Sam bought the food. The whole time, Castiel just sat there as if his mind was elsewhere. At first, it didn't bother Dean, but by the time they were back in the Impala, ready to go, he grew worried.

He looked back at his friend who had his hands balled up together on his lap and his eyes set down on his them. He had never seen Castiel so quiet for so long. What possibly could be bothering him?

"Castiel?" Dean asked and it was as if the angel didn't hear him. "Cas." He added and again, nothing. "Cas!" he said louder, which snapped his friend out of his daze. He looked up and his eyes seemed nearly clouded, as if he was still deep in thought. "What's up?" he asked and Castiel looked back down at his hands again.

"It's nothing." he said and this time, even Sam looked back with concern. The brothers exchanged glances and looked back at the silent angel in the back seat.

"Talk to us, Cas." Dean said and Castiel remained still, but then nodded his head and looked out the window. They had never seen him like this? Was it seeing Gadreel and Anne, starting their own family? Did it remind him of Jimmy, his vessel, and his family?

"Every angel, existing and fallen, has a mission. I thought I had a mission, but my existence now seems useless. What am I to do now?" he asked, all without looking away from his window. His eyes were full of sadness, which was odd since angels don't often experience emotion. However, as they knew best, Castiel wasn't like the others.

"You're not useless." Sam said and Dean quickly added in agreement.

"You've been there with and for us all this time. You're the most useful and reliable angel out of Heaven. Those angels think they have a mission in their life, but they're blind, man. And Gadreel? Being human, the only thing he knows is Anne." Dean said, but he glanced at his brother, uncertain he was getting through to Castiel. He glanced back at his friend and wasn't sure what else to say.

"They were my family." Castiel said, nearly mumbling. Dean just stared at him, as if that reminded him of his family and how much he missed them. However, he didn't snap out of it fast enough to reply.

"We're you're family too." Sam said and Castiel shifted his eyes towards Sam who smiled softly. That got Castiel to smile weakly, as if to say he appreciated the sentiment.

"Yes, you are." He said and he glanced at Dean who gave a half smile of agreement.

All three seemed satisfied and returned to the road. Although silence filled the car, it wasn't a bit awkward, but peaceful. The roar of the Impala's engine was all that could be heard, but it was somewhat soothing.

Then, as if to change the atmosphere, Dean turned on the radio and it was a song that got him to tap the steering wheel with his hands along to the beat. Sam let out a small laugh as he watched his brother while Castiel's smile broadened slightly.

However, it wasn't enough to keep Castiel out of his gloom.

It wasn't so much the angels or Gadreel having missions that bothered him, but the fact that he could hear the angels in Heaven, Micah taking charge and being followed by the angels. He was an excellent leader and the angels were loyal to him.

He wanted to rally their forces and find a way to return the balance. It wasn't so much defeating Hell and closing it for good, but reducing it to what it was once. He wanted to rid the world of hybrids that help enhance the power of a place, such as Hell in a case of war. For some reason, the angels actually liked the idea. Not only that, but they believed that if Clara and her child were dead, Jane, the Nephilim, would upset the balance; so it was decided she would die as well.

They wanted to defeat Hell and now they were agreeing with Micah to kill Clara and her child so they could return the Universe to its perfect balance? This unsettled Castiel and it was mainly why he was so saddened.

Did he believe that killing hybrids such as Clara would solve the problem? Did he believe that keeping a balance was the key? Did he believe that Jane also had to die? Did he believe that the angels were mindless followers being blinded by Micah's beliefs?

Or was he angry that the angels shunned him so he's naturally resorting to rebelling to their beliefs and their grand plan?

He didn't know. What he did was that the Winchesters wanted Hell defeated, if not destroyed, and the Cromwells wanted Clara and her child safe from harm.

The question was, what did he want?


	14. Fury Oh Fury

The song here is "Fury Oh Fury" by Nico Vega

 **Fury Oh Fury**

She was able to find them without much difficulty and when she threw that door open; only one seemed a little disturbed and it was the right one. She was furious and she was glad that the demon took notice.

Clara slammed the door behind her and stepped in, staring at the demon that was on the cold metal slab in the center of the room. Nikolai was at the counter to her left, preparing all the fun sharp weapons of mass destruction and more. The demon was strapped down tightly and couldn't move a muscle.

Exactly how she liked him.

"So, demon, threatening my family, I hear." She said as she approached him slowly, rage burning in her eyes despite her calm demeanor. She stood tall with her chin up high like a powerful Queen; quite the intimidating image.

"You –" he began, but she simply snapped her fingers and he was choking, turning red in the face.

"I didn't say you get to talk." She said and she placed a finger on his forehead and his eyes turned black and then a striking light illuminated within his vessel like lightening. When Nikolai turned and watched, his eyes widened as he realized she was on the verge of killing the demon with just one pretty manicured finger.

"Clara…?" Nikolai asked softly, as if he was hoping that she'd reconsider killing this demon.

"I'm not going to kill him." she said, and then after a few seconds, removed her finger. The demon also stopped choking and he looked at her with horror on his face. "Just reminding him of who he just threatened." She said and gave her most dark smile as she continued to stand in place.

Nikolai stepped up wearing an apron, holding a scalpel and a box of salt. He looked down at the demon and also gave a dark smile.

"Shall we start?" he asked, but at that moment, the door opened and Crowley walked in with a cold expression on his face. Like Clara, he was enraged, despite his bitter calm demeanor.

When he stood next to Clara, she glanced at him and arched her eyebrow.

"She's with Nerilla and Nikolai." He said knowing she would inquire about their daughter. Then, they both looked at Nikolai with blank expressions, soon to question why he was still there.

Nikolai glanced down at the demon and gave a mock saddened smile as he set down the scalpel and the box of salt.

"We won't get to have fun, but there's always next time. Don't worry, you're in for a real treat." He said and removed the apron, leaving the room and heading back to the mansion to help Nerilla in protecting Keara.

The King and Queen glared down at the demon in eerily silence. However, the demon didn't really feel frightened anymore and let out a sharp laugh.

"Looks like Cowboy's more useful these days as a babysitter." He said and laughed harder as he looked at Crowley. It was confirmed then that the problem really was with the King of Hell. The demons didn't respect him or fear him. "And I'm wondering if you can upstage your wife." He said and laid still on the cold metal slab, grinning at Crowley.

"My _Queen_ may have great skills, no doubt, but I have the touch, you filth." He said and Clara turned away and returned with the apron, handing it to Crowley and tying it in the back for him.

The demon laughed, as if the idea of Crowley torturing him amused him.

Clara stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest, watching the demon with a spark of anger in her eyes. Crowley was ready and once he begun, Clara watched with a stone expression. She would have unleashed her power on the demon, but Crowley was right; this was about him, so only he could inflict the pain and ask the questions.

At first, it was just torture, like Crowley was having fun slicing up this demon just to past the time. He cut into the skin with the scalpel and made perfect rectangles where he peeled the skin back and then poured the salt into the flesh. He just flipped the piece of skin back and repeated this procedure a couple of times.

The demon screamed as the skin was being peeled and as the salt burned. He glared at Crowley who walked to the counter and pulled a small table next to the metal slab. Crowley grabbed a pole with a hook from the corner of the room and placed it next to the table. From that table he lifted up a bag of clear liquid and hung it up on the hook of that pole. There was a long tube running from that bag and it lead to a long needle that Crowley placed into the vein in that demon's hand.

It was intravenous, but what was the liquid? Once the demon began to scream and curse, Clara knew then that it was Holy water, coursing through his veins throughout his vessel. That was worse than salt in fresh wounds.

Still, Crowley didn't ask any questions, but Clara knew he was clever. He had this all planned out, so all she had to do was watch the demon balance on the brink of death.

Crowley went to the other side of the demon and began cutting into his arm, right down to the bone, even cutting into the bone, and pouring salt into the wound.

Salt, Holy water and cutting flesh; creative and effective, but it was only the beginning.


	15. Mr Crowley

The song here is "Mr. Crowley" by Ozzy Osbourne

 **Mr. Crowley**

When the demon's screams began to sound more like wounded cries, Crowley then began asking questions. The demon was so weak, but he still refused to give in. He chuckled weakly at Crowley and threw insults in his face.

"What rebellion is brewing behind my back?" Crowley asked and the demon snickered and sneered. "Speak, you little twerp." He added, nearly like a hiss. Crowley wasn't getting frustrated, but he was being intimidating. Although, the demon didn't think so.

"Out of the two of us, you're the weakest." He said and laughed as much as he could, which wounded like wheezing. "What was the last greatest thing you've done? Scheming with the Winchesters to kill Lucifer? Playing keep-away with the demon tablet? Killing the prophet, Kevin? Getting high on human blood?" he asked and laughed again. Clearly, he didn't think his King had done anything great. "So weak you had to get someone stronger than yourself to rule Hell with you, afraid we'd kill you faster than you can say 'Long live the King'." He concluded with a harsh laugh and he titled his head and sneered at Clara.

Crowley didn't move a muscle or say a word, but asked the question once again. The demon laughed and continued insulting.

"The great Cambion Queen, stuck with an impotent demon King. Did she ever get the short end of the stick. And I'm not taking about a stick, if you catch my drift." He said and snickered, despite the pain of Holy water in his veins. By now, it was like he was burning from the inside out.

Clara expected Crowley to glance at her, but he didn't move. Perhaps he wasn't easily insulted, but Clara thought for sure that it would sting. A half-demon was stronger than the demon who just so happened to be King of Hell. Even if he loved her beyond measure, it had to sting, especially when a little piece of shit throws it in his face.

"She deserved to be with someone greater." The demon said with a serious tone of voice, staring at Crowley. The silence stretched on and the two just stared at each other.

"And who would that be?" Crowley asked and the demon curled his lips into a dark smile.

Clara began thinking and eliminating Crowley and Nikolai, knowing that this demon didn't like either of them. What was odd was that the demons seem to really like her. They liked a half-demon? Shouldn't they want her gone too?

"Lucifer." The demon whispered slowly like the name was pure ecstasy. Then, he laughed in such a creepy manner that it sent a shiver down her spine. The demons wanted Lucifer and her to rule Hell? They've gone mad!

"Remind me what Hell was like when Lucifer was in his cage." Crowley said and the demon just grinned at him. "It was unorganized chaos. Everyone hated Hell, even the ones that called it home. And all the demons running amuck, obeying no decree but their own and your precious Lucifer, need I jog your memory, hated us all." Crowley added and then the demon chuckled darkly. "I assume you're intelligent enough to imagine what Hell would be like with Lucifer out of his cage." He concluded.

"He created us." He said, but Crowley was quick to wipe that grin off that demon's face.

"He was a fallen angel. He may have created us, but we were nothing but scum to him. He hated us and killed us if we annoyed him. And you want that to rule Hell? You aren't old enough to remember what it was like when he sat on that throne." Crowley said in a cold tone of voice.

"Neither are you." The demon hissed. "So shut up."

Clara remembered what Crowley had said about Hell before he changed it. It was hard to believe that the demons wanted that back, along with a fallen angel that hated them. They couldn't appreciate what Crowley had done. Was the only thing that they appreciated was him making a Cambion their Queen? And on that note, they were really insane to think she'd be with Lucifer! He hated humans as much if not more than demons! What would he say about a Cambion Queen of Hell? A combination of two things he hates?

"You're just another demon, Crowley, but with a larger than life ego. You didn't make yourself King for us. You didn't make Hell better for us. You didn't bring a Cambion for us. Everything you did was for yourself. Why would we want you to rule Hell? It should be Lucifer and no one else.

"You torture me for information, but I have none to give you, even if I wanted to in stupid hopes that you'd spare me, not that I actually hope for that. I'd rather die. But believe you me, there will be a rebellion. We demons will find another way to kill you. If we can't find candidates, they will find us." He said and laughed.

Crowley's body language didn't say if his anger was rising to a boiling point, but when he quickly gripped that scalpel and lodged it deep into the demon's throat, the anger was in his eyes. The demon was choking on his vessel's blood and he couldn't speak anymore.

He said he didn't have any details to give away, but he just told Crowley what he needed to know: there were no plans for a rebellion just yet, but they were hoping for something to fall into their lap. And this rubbish about Lucifer was just this demon's ideal little imaginary world.

Clara grinned as the demon began to wiggle like a worm on the metal slab once he realized that Crowley was going to continue torturing him, just out of mere pleasure. Now, Crowley was beginning to snap and rip his fingers off and digging into his hands for the bones, ripping them out. Apparently, he was going to tear off the extremities and then rip out the bones, leaving him there to bleed out before putting him out of his misery... that's if he's feeling courteous, which he probably won't.

An interesting sound when one tries to scream with a scalpel lodged into their throat, their throat filling with curdling blood. A gurgling sound doesn't even come close.


	16. Itchy Blood

The song here is "Itchy Blood" by The Darcys

 **Itchy Blood**

It had been roughly seven years, although he wasn't really counting. How old was he now? Anywhere from seventeen to nineteen, maybe? That wasn't really the point. He had disappeared and remained hidden from the world. He was the most dangerous thing to walk the Earth when Lucifer was on the verge of being let out of his cage. He didn't even know what he was until two brothers, the Winchesters, informed him.

He was a Cambion. With just a word, he was able to do things. But once Lucifer was stuffed back into his cage, his powers diminished. All he could do were party tricks. He knew Lucifer wasn't free because his powers didn't increase.

And, on top of that, it was believed that both angels and demons would want him dead, but none had come to look for him. Maybe it was safe for him to walk the Earth again. His powers were minimal anyway; he'd be no threat to anyone, unless the angels and demons still thought Lucifer could be set free.

He walked out of his safe house that was far in the deepest forests of the mountains in Russia and stood in the sunlight that streamed through the thick leaves on those countless branches. The air was clean and there was a beautiful breeze. In the distance, there was the song of birds and it was peaceful.

And yet, it wasn't enough to please him completely. Since he last saw the Winchesters, he repeated their words in his mind. They spoke of good choices. They didn't want to kill him because they saw the good in him, what he could be versus where he came from. For years, he believed them. There was goodness in him and he could live a good life, but over the years, another side to him reminded him why they found him, what he could have had if Lucifer was free.

He remembered the things he was capable of doing back when he was a kid and he compared them to the things he could do now. It was day and night. His powers were pathetic and the darker side of him seemed to be mocking him, telling him he could have powers beyond measure. Was it his dark side or his teenage ego? Probably both working together.

He walked down a trail and when he got at the end, there was an abandoned shed where he stored his old car that he had found and fixed up with his powers a little here and there. He started the engine, several times like usual. Eventually, it roared and he drove it out, onto another trail that brought him to a road that wasn't any better than the trail.

After nearly draining his car of gas, he arrived at the little town where he got his supplies, mostly by stealing. He didn't need powers to be good at it. All those years of practice made him that good.

He went to one store to steal once more and left before anyone suspected him. Then he placed it all in his car and left it behind, walking down the sidewalk. There was a place he had come to know. Some people would gather there to meet under the guise of a religious group and talk about summoning demons. Of course, no one actually had an idea on how to do that, but they were the opposite of religious, and they were a bad influence on his dark side. He felt like telling them that what they knew wasn't even close to the truth. He felt like bringing them closer to what they wanted.

Yeah, real bad influence, but still, he couldn't help himself. They wanted to contact Hell? Did they hope to find Lucifer? If he helped them, would he get a chance at increasing his powers? Did he want that?

He was about to walk in, but hesitated as he considered his purpose of walking in.

Did he want to set Lucifer free so he could be once again the powerful and fearsome Cambion that he was years ago?

He opened the door and the same people were there, preaching about how God let them down. These people sort of began like an addiction. They even seemed to welcome him to their meetings, as if they knew he was a Cambion. Of course, they had no idea.

But, as he walked in, something was different. There was a new face and he was listening to them. He wouldn't have noticed, if it wasn't for this feeling nagging him. This wasn't human. At that moment, that newcomer turned and glanced directly at him and then his lips broadened into a smirk. He blinked and his eyes were black, then he blinked them back to normal.

A demon.

When the demon just turned back to the group of devil worshippers, if that's what they really were, he took the chair next to that demon and glanced at him. He could feel his essence and it sort of made his own dark side stir like it wanted to come out to play.

"You know who I am?" he asked and the demon grinned and continued to look at the human that was speaking about how they all found themselves looking for something that would turn to them and listen. Did they think that was Lucifer? Pretty hard to do that from inside a cage deep under the Earth…

"Jesse Turner, the Cambion kid." The demon said and his smile turned dark as he glanced over at him. "So much for having disappeared." He added. "So, how have you been?" he asked and Jesse wasn't sure if that was sarcastic or sincere.

"I've been better." Jesse replied and the demon smirked. He wasn't just speaking about his powers, because he was sure that's what the demon wanted to talk about, but the fact that he once had parents and a good home where he didn't have to steal and hide in the forests to survive. Because he was half human and half demon, hunters and angels discovered him and he wasn't safe back home. Indeed he has been better.

"You were the most terrifying thing that existed." The demon said and there was something in his eyes, something that Jesse wasn't certain should be interesting or horrifying.

"And now I'm nothing?" Jesse asked the demon who just grinned.

"You don't have to be." He said and Jesse remained silent for a few seconds, thinking back to what he wanted. Did he want to be powerful again? "Do you know that a demon claimed the throne after Lucifer was put into the cage?" the demon asked and Jesse shook his head. "He's just another demon, no better than me." he added.

"And he's ruling Hell?" Jesse asked.

"So much has happened kid," the demon said and his smile turned so wicked that part of Jesse wanted to run, but the other side wanted to listen. "We'll leave these losers and talk about it." he added and Jesse followed him out without even giving it a second thought.


	17. Take Me to Church

The song here is "Take Me to Church" by Hozier

 **Take Me to Church**

Crowley first washed his hands that were covered in blood, and then Clara helped him to remove his bloody apron. She glanced over his shoulder at his hands. Although he cleaned them, they were still bloody, especially under his nails. She liked blood, but since giving birth to Keara, she's sort of been a neat freak. She'd love to take Crowley back to their bedroom, but not until he cleans those nails.

Once he removed the apron, he tossed it onto the counter and glanced at her with a half smile, but there was darkness in his eyes that made her grin. She didn't have to glance over at that demon to see whether Crowley was going to put him out of his misery or not.

She had watched the torture from beginning to end; not once did the sight sicken her. She had never seen Crowley torture and since she had to pleasure to watch, she was aroused. Not only that, but the scum that threatened her family got what he deserved.

His vessel had been tortured enough, but it would take a long time to die. The cherry on top was that just before Crowley turned to wash his hand, he carved a sigil into a spot of skin he didn't shread. She didn't know what it meant, but she knew Crowley had picked something delectable, probably something that would prolong his suffering.

They left the room and the second Crowley closed the door behind him, Clara turned and collapsed against him, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly and kissing him hard, sucking the breath out of him.

He seemed surprised, but he quickly wrapped his arms around her waist as if to return that same hunger. But it was her turn to be surprised. He pushed her against the wall behind her, grabbed her wrists and pinned them by her head, thrusting against her pelvis hard, as if to tease her.

A chuckle erupted from her throat and when he pulled away, she grinned at him with dark eyes that glimmered like a predator. She was indeed hungry and she enjoyed that bit of dominance he showed her.

"You're so sexy." She said and pushed her chest against him as she lifted her leg and rubbed it against his hip, rubbing her foot against his posterior. "Torture, what a turn-on." She added and he grinned like he couldn't agree more with her. "I'm dying to know what that sigil was." She concluded and his grin turned into a dark smile.

"His essence will be snuffed out like a flame once that vessel dies, and no one can save him." he said and she growled. Judging by the look in her eyes, she wanted him badly. "Shall we go to the office or would you prefer a lesson on sigils?" he asked and she smiled darkly.

They walked together to the office which wasn't very far and once they threw the door open, they began ripping clothes off each other. Crowley slammed the door shut and snapped his fingers to lock the door.

He picked Clara up in his arms and slammed her onto his desk as he pushed everything off. He shredded her dress to reveal her black lace panties and his pants were equally shredded just by a squint of her eyes. She giggled darkly and when his lips pressed hard against her stomach, she growled in anticipation.

His lips kissed her skin down to her inner thigh as his hands caressed her hips and thighs. She combed her fingers through her hair, closing her eyes and focusing on his lips touching her skin. It was glorious, but her heart was beating so fast that if Crowley didn't stop with the foreplay, she was going to snap and throw herself on him.

Once his kisses were heading inward of her thigh, higher towards somewhere else, she growled and her impatience resonated.

Crowley grabbed her hips and pulled her into his groin. Clara growled again, but it was contentment. She heard him chuckle and when she opened her eyes and glanced at him, there was a smirk on her face.

"Patience is a virtue." He said, but she grunted in response. "Perhaps we should torture more often." He added and his lips curled into a dark smile.

"Enough talking, I can't take it anymore." She said and sat up, grabbing the back of his head and kissing him hard once again. She then bit his bottom lip, drawing a bit of blood and licking it up, enjoying the sort of metallic taste.

When she pulled back for a few seconds and quickly met his eyes, there was a dark glimmer, like he enjoyed her ferocious taste for his flesh and blood. There was lust in his eyes and she was certain that's why she was so hungry for him. It was lust.

"I fucking love you." She said between kisses and his lips twitched into a grin when they paused for a brief moment.

"Love you first, Darling." He added and when she grinned, he finally gave into her lust. She let out a gasp, but quickly closed her eyes and let out a deep growl of satisfaction.


	18. Wrong Side of Heaven

The song here is "Wrong Side of Heaven" by Five Finger Death Punch

 **Wrong Side of Heaven**

He tried to help, but his efforts didn't seem to count for anything. All those angels died and his efforts didn't help them. In fact, they were completely useless. He tried to encourage Castiel to gather the angelic forces and get them to unite against Hell, but that didn't go far. It seemed all Castiel did was give them a pep talk like some sort of cheerleader.

Next he wanted the angels to accept Jane the Nephilim, but none of them would ever change their perspectives on her. He also went to visit Hell to assure that he meant Clara and her baby no harm, which didn't go so well.

Everything he did was useless.

Castiel was no longer the angel that could or would lead Heaven. Jane was still viewed as an abomination and those angels with sticks up their asses were always going to be narrowed minded. Then, to top it all off, Clara put a bit of fear into him and pretty much told him to shove his "no harm promise" where the sun don't shine. Finally, there was Nerilla, the demon he came to bond with. She made it clear that her heart would always be with Clara and her baby.

So Gabriel was back to square one. Lonely square one.

But that wasn't his only problem. He could hear the angels upstairs talking about some glorious Micah and his genius plan to restore balance to the universe like some sort of flower power child. They seemed loyal to him and it made Gabriel chuckle as he thought of them as a flock of sheep. Wasn't it supposed to be the humans that were the flock of sheep? Seems they were always wrong there…

Well, Micah had planned that they would kill all hybrids that Heaven and Hell had created and that didn't settle right with Gabriel. Those hybrids were half human, regardless of their other half; they had just as much right to live as anyone else. It's been something he has believed for so long. He got Balthazar to veer off course so that Clara would live. Was that the right choice he had made now that she had killed many angels just by giving birth to another Cambion?

She may have killed angels, but it was to protect her child. Any mother, whatever she may be, would do so. No one was going to kill her, regardless of the fact she was as much of a demon as Crowley, if not more. And killing all hybrids wasn't going to do much good anyway. Kill Clara and her child and Crowley would unleash all of Hell to destroy _everything_. The angels were like horses with blinders: they don't see possible outcomes before making a decision.

Gabriel stood in an abandoned cabin, standing in front of a table; looking down at the ritual that would allow him to summon the King of Hell. He must be crazy, but it was clear that Heaven was going down the wrong path. They might not think so, but he knew it. He had to talk to Crowley so he'd know what was going on. By doing this, he was doing the angels a favor: saving their stupid asses by making sure they never get to Clara and her child.

He hesitated in summoning Crowley, not because he was the big bad King of Hell, but because an epiphany had occurred: why was he so bothered by Micah's plan when it was the same thing Gabriel had tried to do, of course without killing all hybrids? Gabriel had went to Castiel, wanting the angels to stop behaving like selfish children and work together so they could defend themselves against Hell. He was trying to protect the balance in war. Yet, Micah wants to restore the balance by removing all hybrids permanently.

Their plans weren't all that different, but Gabriel was willing to betray Heaven if it meant protecting those hybrids, which in fact would protect the angels from one pissed off demon King. And why? Because he was sure that God wouldn't want them to judge who lives and who dies all in the name of protecting this so-called balance. That wasn't obeying God, it was _playing_ God.

He's the last Archangel, yes it's true, but he abandoned his brethren and changed his image so he'd fit in with the Norse Gods. He slept with a demon and stopped an angel from killing a Cambion. And now he was going to do it again. Well, no actually for a third time and this time he was going to stand by Hell. What made him so much better than those angels? Is he really all that better?

Well, he could probably list hundreds of reasons, but that wasn't the point.

Was he obeying his father or playing God as well? Was he becoming more and more distant with Heaven? Was he worthy of being the last Archangel? Should he be what the angels expect of an Archangel or should he do what he thinks God would expect of him? Does he do what he believes is right? Is he the one to do it?

Never in his existence has he found himself lost in so many questions. It was usually clear: be mischievous and have fun. Fuck the problems of the world; they'll set themselves straight. He had been Loki for so long that now, it seemed like he didn't know how to be Gabriel again. Would he even want to be?

After a few seconds more of hesitation, Gabriel popped a piece of candy into his mouth from his pocket and sighed, pushing away all those questions that never stopped spiraling in his head like a nasty hangover.

"Fuck it." he said and struck the match, beginning his ritual.

In just a few seconds, the King of Hell would appear and he'd be less than pleased. He doubted he'd get through to Crowley this time, but it was worth a shot. At least Nerilla would be happy; she didn't have to worry about them playing for opposing teams; if things went right, he'd be joining hers.

The last Archangel siding up with Hell: sounds like he's doing the wrong thing, but it sure felt right.


	19. Misfit

The song here is "Misfit" by Lesley Roy

 **Misfit**

Crowley conjured new clothes as his Queen sat on his desk, legs crossed over one another, licking his blood off of the tip of her fingers and then fixing her hair. When he glanced over his shoulder at her, she grinned. The lust was still in her eyes, but it had simmered down, since it had been satisfied.

He turned to face her as he was fixing his tie and she jumped off the desk gracefully, taking hold of his tie, tightening it for him. There was a small smile on her luscious lips and when she lifted her eyes up to him, there wasn't darkness, but happiness.

It was moments like this where time seemed to stand still and they appreciated the fact that Fate brought them together.

As she closed the gap between them for a kiss, he received that feeling that he had been summoned. Then, naturally, because he remained still, Clara knew something had occurred. She pulled back and there was that look in her eyes, as if she was trying to guess who had summoned him. Before she could ask if it was her distant relatives the Cromwells, Crowley grinned.

"Our old feathered friend, Darling." He said and her eyes narrowed. "I'm certain he gave up his missionary work for your humanity after the threat you delivered." He added with a slight smirk as his fingers grazed her cheek.

"Then why is he summoning you?" she asked and before she could voice her suspicions, he kissed her softly, but he quickly intensified that kiss before she could fight him. She began to return that kiss with passion, but then shoved him away with a dark grin, not falling for his trick. "Fine, but I don't like this." She said and his lips twitched into a smirk.

"Yes, wouldn't a phone call be more conventional?" he asked as she then tried to hide her smile by rolling her eyes in an annoyed manner.

"You know what I mean." She said and he grabbed her by the hips and pulled her into him as his eyes glimmered darkly.

"I won't be long, Love." He said and she wrapped her arms around his neck, but the look in her eyes said she didn't quite believe him. She gave him a quick kiss and then he was gone.

His entrance would have taken Gabriel by surprise, if angels couldn't detect the presence of a demon. Gabriel turned to him with mischief in his eyes, despite his serious facial expression. It was like there was a battle of personalities within him. As Crowley analyzed this, with his hands so casually in his pockets, Gabriel cleared his throat as if to say he didn't appreciate that and wanted to get right to business.

"Getting bored in your old age, Gabe?" Crowley asked and Gabriel frowned. "Got no one else to annoy?" he asked and the Archangel's lips twisted into a dark smirk.

"If I grew to be bored, than you grew to be boring." He said and Crowley gave a soft chuckle.

"Is that the best you can do? A preschooler could come up with something more tasteful." He said and Gabriel really was looking bored if not irritated. "Now who's boring?" Crowley asked and then Gabriel reached his breaking point.

"Listen, I didn't summon you to have each other throw insults. I summoned you to tell you what the angels are planning." He said and Crowley narrowed his eyes, as if he knew this was the truth, but doubted it all the same based on the ridiculousness of it; an angel sharing information with the Devil.

"Double crossing your own kind." Crowley said and Gabriel ignored that statement, knowing the King of Hell didn't really believe him or didn't want to. Seems even a demon, down to its core, respected the dichotomy of the world; knowing it was wrong for an angel to cross over to the dark side. However, it doesn't mean that they don't take pleasure it in.

"I'm telling you this because it involves Clara and your child and –" he began, but Crowley corrected him.

"Keara." He said and Gabriel seemed a little taken off guard. "Her name is Keara." He added and his eyes grew darker as if calling her "child" offended him.

"The angels don't want to destroy Hell, knowing it's quite impossible, but they do want to destroy all hybrids, starting with Clara and _Keara_." He said and Crowley's expression was difficult to read, but he knew he didn't like the sound of this. "They claim that killing the hybrids that Heaven and Hell created will restore the balance and render Heaven equal to Hell in the power department." He concluded and still Crowley didn't react.

"Is that so?" he asked, narrowing his eyes and Gabriel fought the urge to explode with frustration.

"Clara and Keara are the most powerful beings and Heaven knows that killing them is better than fighting a war with Hell. And while they're at it, they also want to kill the Nephilim since she turns their stomachs. They've made up their minds and, frankly, I'd rather not see more angels fall to their deaths. So consider yourself warned." He said and stood his ground as the King of Hell was now revealing his rage in his dark eyes.

"How many hybrids are there, exactly?" he asked and the question sort of surprised Gabriel.

"One Nephilim and three Cambions, assuming Jesse Turner is still breathing." He replied and Crowley remained silent as he stared at him.

"You wish to protect all four or just two of them?" he asked as he began glaring at Gabriel, as if to make him uncomfortable. However, Gabriel was unbothered by it.

"All of them, but only two are the main targets." He replied and then Crowley's lips twitched as if he was grinning darkly despite his rage.

"And how do you expect to accomplish that?" he asked, his grin broadening as if he was enjoy interrogating the Archangel. Once Gabriel remained silent longer than he cared to be, Crowley's grin grew and there was a dark glimmer in his eyes. "Don't have the finest clue, I see." he added and Gabriel seemed put off. "Why should I let you protect my family?" he asked with a condescending tone of voice.

Then, Gabriel grinned, letting the mischief shine through.

"Because the angels wouldn't expect to see me in Hell." He said, hinting to a surprise ambush type of approach to any angel that tries to kill Clara and Keara.

Crowley grinned slightly, as if he found that to be a delectable idea, but it didn't mean he approved of it. After all, no demon liked having an angel in Hell; it was just wrong on so many levels.


	20. Out of Black

The song here is "Out of Black" by Royal Blood

 **Out of Black**

Lucifer was back in the cage, yes that he knew, obviously, but what was news to him was the fact that a crossroads demon claimed the throne to Hell and addresses himself as King. That demon took it upon himself to change Hell, make complicated relationships with humans in order to use them, binge on human blood like it were a drug and then find himself a Queen… a Cambion.

Jesse was stunned beyond belief that he wasn't the only Cambion in the world. The next detail blew him away; this one was older than him. Jessie couldn't understand how he was just a child and he was the first to be discovered while that Cambion, being the first of their kind, was well hidden away all these years and now the most powerful being in the world. It seemed almost cruel that his chance to be powerful was taken away while she flourished. Shouldn't the second one to exist be flourishing as the first is reduced to nothing? It wasn't quite fair.

And don't get him started on how different they are. He asked his demon acquaintance if being close to Lucifer is what made her powerful and the answer shocked him. She was always powerful, even before she was made Queen of Hell, but once she embraced her demon half and moved into Hell, she grew powerful and killed angels as they descended just giving birth to another Cambion.

Both of them are Cambions and yet her powers don't depend on Lucifer. It wasn't fair at all. She made him look insignificant; yet his acquaintance knew that if he was back to what he used to be, he'd probably be stronger than her.

From the way this demon spoke, Jesse could tell his grudge wasn't with this Cambion Queen, but with the demon King. Not that he could blame him; as envious as he was of this Cambion Queen, he sort of could understood why this demon would like her. The King, on the other hand, was pathetic. Obviously, the true power of the crown laid with the Queen. Hence why some of the demons believed she should keep her crown, but exchange her King with one more glorious, one who was the rightful King of Hell: the one who created them.

"Lucifer." Jesse said and he couldn't fight back a smirk growing on his lips. The demon grinned and nodded. "Why tell me all of this?" Jesse asked, not sure if he was even part of the plans.

"Who else has the potential to keep two Cambions and a Knight at bay as Lucifer rises to the throne?" the demon, apparently named Hal, asked with a dark glimmer in his eyes that didn't terrify Jesse, but pleased him.

And with Lucifer out of his cage, he'd be powerful like he used to be as a child. But in order to do such a thing, there were plenty of questions he had to ask. How would they vacate the thrown for Lucifer? This demon King wasn't just going to step aside and let them release Lucifer. Then, came the hard question: how were they going to free Lucifer? The only way the cage was opened was by breaking sixty-six seals, beginning with the death of Lilith. They couldn't break seals that were already broken. There was no way of setting Lucifer free.

Hal clasped his hand on Jesse's shoulder as if he could see the questions swirling in his mind. His grin broadened darkly as they walked down the street, as if he already had the answers and was withholding them from Jesse for mere fun.

"Are you in, kid?" the demon asked and Jesse looked at him and smiled.

"You got a plan?" he asked and Hal nodded, but judging by his facial expression, it was still in progress. Or maybe it wasn't going so well. Maybe he didn't have to ask. If this demon was asking Jesse, the "Cambion Kid" to join in, the plan couldn't be very effective.

"I think having you will prove to all of Hell that kicking Crowley to the curb and getting back Lucifer is possible. With you, demons will get the courage to follow you, even if they fear Clara and Nikolai." The demon said as Jesse was placing the names to the demons and this Cambion Queen that his new friend had mentioned.

So, Clara was her name. And she had a child? Another Cambion?

Jesse seemed to let his thoughts linger on her and the demon next to him narrowed his eyes as if he wasn't thrilled that he was more intrigued with more Cambions that this plan to release Lucifer.

"Got any ideas?" Hal asked and Jesse looked at him, uncertain of what that look in his eyes meant. Was that a sarcastic question? "And don't say making deals with cults, because that isn't looking so promising." He added with a slight grin.

Jesse wasn't so sure he understood that, but he nodded and began thinking. He didn't know this Crowley and what could be his weaknesses, but he was hoping to discover them, using those that did know him a bit better.

"What do you know about Crowley, other than what you told me?" Jesse asked and Hal grinned, as if he liked that this was finally getting in motion. "What would draw his attention away from Lucifer?" he asked and the demon grinned, as if he had several ideas. Of course, Jesse was certain that none of them included using Clara to their advantage.


	21. The Power of Love

The song here is "The Power of Love" by Gabrielle Aplin

 **The Power of Love**

Anne hadn't seemed too furious after the Winchesters left, but Gadreel knew her emotions were a little intense due to the pregnancy. However, she cooled down and returned to the store, keeping busy and organizing. The next couple of days after that, she was her good old self and the conversation with Dean was forgotten.

Gadreel watched her closely, not just because of the conflict with the Winchesters, but because he was thrown into protective overdrive since the day she showed him the pregnancy test. The memory was clear in his mind.

They had just bought the store with the money her mother had given them around the time of her death. The store was perfect! A bookstore with a parking lot in the back that Anne said could always become part of the store instead and then upstairs were two apartments that they could also buy. It was as if the store was made for them.

As they moved in and began cleaning up once they did some basic shopping at the convenience store, Anne came downstairs and ambushed him from behind; jumping onto his back and wrapping her arms around his neck, nuzzling her face against his.

He laughed and held onto her legs before she chocked him, not that he was worried. She was the happiest she had ever been in a long time and Gadreel wished he could freeze time so he could always enjoy this moment.

"I love you so much that space and time could not be used to describe it." she said and Gadreel chuckled softly, finding it sort of ironic that their thoughts weren't so far apart. His thoughts also recalled the times they tried to out-do one another in their expression of love. Usually, he'd win, rendering her speechless, and he had a new trick up his sleeve that would be sure to put a bigger smile on her face.

"When the chips are down, I'll be around with my undying death defying love for you." He said and she remained silent for a few seconds, and then she tightened her arms around him.

"Is that from a song?" she asked and he chuckled, unable to keep it in. "That's plagiarism." She added and his chuckle turned into a deep laughter. "But it's very sweet." She said and kissed his cheek.

She began to wiggle and he got the hint; she wanted to be put down on her feet. He eased her down gently and then as soon as he turned to her, she ambushed him again, wrapping her arms around his neck, but her lips locked with his and it was passionate, full of desire.

He returned the kiss and swept her off of her feet, holding her tightly against him. When their lips had to break to breathe, she looked deep into his eyes and smiled softly.

"I'm glad you'll always be around, 'cause I have something to show you." She said and when he placed her back on her feet, she tucked her hair behind her ear as if nervous, and pulled something out of her jean pocket softly.

It was some sort of plastic stick that narrowed at one end and nearly in the center, was a small screen displaying an image. He looked at it and couldn't understand its significance. When he lifted his eyes up to hers, his eyebrows knit in confusion, her face was bright, despite the concern in her eyes.

"What is this?" he asked her and she smiled nervously. Why should she be nervous?

"It's a test to determine pregnancy." She said and he looked back down at that stick and time seemed to stretch on, making him feeling guilty for pondering over his mixed emotions while she stared at him, waiting for a response. Gadreel was slightly nervous and surprised, thinking of Anne holding this stick and what it meant. "I'm pregnant." She added before he could come to that conclusion himself and his emotions were like a river flooding over him; he was stunned, but overjoyed.

"You're carrying _our_ baby?" he asked and she nodded. Before his mind could catch up with his heart, he picked her up and held her in his arms tightly, nuzzling his face in her neck as a couple of tears formed in his eyes. She chuckled nervously, but wrapping her arms around him, happily.

He didn't know how he could help her with a child, but the thought of being a father seemed more important than being an angel. All of a sudden, this made his past seem so small, like his quest for redemption wasn't as vital as he thought it was. Their baby would be the most precious gift he could ever have and he would share that beautiful gift with the person he loved more than life.

This was better than redemption; this was leaving his past behind and moving forward and becoming a better Gadreel; a Gadreel that was loved more than he ever thought possible.

He had a family and soon he'd have a little one that would be a mixture of him and Anne. That was love in its purest form.

He hadn't realized how long he had been holding Anne, but she didn't complain. When he pulled back, he was surprised to see a few tears in her eyes as well. They both laughed a little and gave each a quick kiss and then focusing on her abdomen.

Now, as he watched her organize books, her baby bump was now clearly invisible and it made him incredibly happy to know that his baby was coming fast. Of course, he knew Anne was nervous; having her first baby, but he was reading several books during his spare time in order to be well prepared to help her when the time comes.

At that moment, the sound of the doorbell snapped him out of his thoughts and, immediately, he knew these two customers were hunters. They had this hopeless expression on their faces and their clothes seemed to have skipped laundry day a couple of times. One was a tall and slender man with dark hair nearly in his eyes and the other was a short woman with long straight dark hair fallen onto her shoulders.

Anne welcomed them and as soon as they confirmed that they were hunters, she invited them to the back of the store, quickly getting to business: what did they need and how could she accommodate them in the financial department?

Gadreel followed them, unwilling to disable his protective overdrive. The woman turned and glanced at him, as if she was afraid they were making a mistake. He smiled softly at her and it seemed to put her at ease.

He couldn't hear what the man was saying, but Anne promised she'd look at what she had and help them. Then, as he glanced down at the floor, catching sight of something, his heart began to race as he saw droplets of blood. He glanced back up at the strange couple, not having noticed blood on their clothes. He glanced back at the droplets of blood on the floor and clenched his jaw as well as his fists, quickly thinking of a plan of action once they were in the back of the store.


	22. Howl

The song here is "Howl by Florence + the Machine"

 **Howl**

Anne quickly led them to her counter of spells and began looking through her books. As the couple stood still at the counter, the blood droplets continued and created miniature pools of blood at the man's feet.

Gadreel looked up at them, expecting them to turn at him with that fear in their eyes, but they didn't. He had do know what had happened to them. He had to know if they posed as a threat to Anne and their baby.

"You injured?" he asked and the man looked at him, surprised and slightly afraid as if he didn't know he had followed them in. The woman answered; since she seemed more comfortable knowing he was as friendly as Anne.

"We ran into some shapeshifters some couple of days ago and I did this to him. I didn't know if it was him or that thing. Now, it's like his wound won't heal. We're afraid of going to a hospital and we heard that this place was trustworthy." She said and he nodded his head and looked at the man. Despite the fact that he was being kind and concerning, the man seemed uncomfortable.

He glanced at Anne and she frowned at him, telling him he had to soften his expression. He relaxed his facial expression and the man reluctantly turned back to Anne. Apparently the look in his eyes was too hard to let them know he was kind and concerned. Perhaps it told them he wasn't concerned about their well-being, but that of Anne and their baby.

Well, it was the truth.

"I have something here, it'll take a while so grab a chair if you can." Anne said and the couple obeyed and sat at one of the tables. As Gadreel approached, Anne didn't look up as she was too busy preparing the ingredients for some sort of paste that is to be applied on the wound. "Could you go get them some water and some food, please?" she asked and his silence stretched on too long. She raised her eyes at him, as if wondering if this silence was defiance.

"Fine." He said hesitated before leaving to go upstairs. He climbed up the stairs two steps at a time to quickly gather some water and food before anything could happen to Anne and their baby.

Just as he reached the second floor, Viviane was stepping out with two bottles of water and a plate of sandwiches, which was very convenient.

"Aw, I was just about to bring you lunch and taking over the store." She said and Gadreel quickly grabbed it all and placed a quick kiss on her cheek, then turning and going down those stairs as quickly as he could. Viviane let out a soft laugh and crossed her arms over her chest. "You're welcome. Don't trip." She added and then went down to the store.

Gadreel rushed into the back of the store and slowed down as he made his way to the couple. They seemed surprised, but grateful as they took the water and sandwiches with smiles. As he glanced over at Anne, she raised her eyes at him and seemed surprised that he came back so quickly, but she frowned slightly before going back to her spell.

Maybe she wasn't very comfortable with him being over protective, but he couldn't help himself; he wanted to make sure nothing could ever hurt her and their baby. That fear kept him from relaxing and he knew once their baby was born, that fear would only intensify if he didn't control it. He was so happy to have a baby, but then he wondered how he could protect him or her. As an angel, he could have without much difficulty, but now, as a man, there wasn't much he could do.

Maybe Anne realized that he was afraid of the world harming her and their baby. Maybe that's why she kept looking at him like that; his fear wasn't helping her. What if he was making her even more nervous than she already was?

At that moment, Anne cleared her throat and he approached her with concern in his eyes. She smiled softly as she reached out and gently touched his cheek. Her touch was so soft and warm that it seemed to chase his fear away. Was it just her touch or was it her magic? Not spells and incantations, but her natural magic of lighting up the place with just her love.

"Take a few deep breaths and relax. One step at a time." she said and he gave her a half smile before she pulled her hand away and mixed the crushed ingredients, making it into a sort of cream. He nodded and stepped back, doing exactly as she had instructed and within minutes, he felt better.

Anne walked over to the couple and showed them the cream that she had created. It was filled with healing properties and all she had to do was a quiet incantation, almost like a meditation. She then invited them to close their eyes and relax during the spell and then she began.

The woman lifted up the man's shirt and revealed the nasty wound that was clearly infected. Judging by the opening, it was trying to heal, but it had been ripped open and even with a slight accident, that infection would never allow him to heal.

Part of Gadreel wanted to say that they were wrong; they should have gone to a hospital, but that didn't mean that he didn't believe that Anne was capable of helping them.

Anne placed the cream on his wound with her right hand and the man gasped, but then took deep breaths as Anne applied the rest and began chanting under her breath. All three of them seemed peaceful within a few seconds and Gadreel approached quietly and joined them, remembering that Anne had once spoke of energies and how if one wasn't on the same page as the other, their energy could clash with that of the other; the spell wouldn't work very well if not at all.

It was slightly confusing, but in a way, he could understand, so he didn't argue.

Soon, Gadreel could feel something deep down that unsettled him and when he opened his eyes, he saw a slight glow of light coming from Anne's hand and his breath caught in his throat as his chest felt like it was tightening.

He knew all too well what that was and his fear returned, making his heart raced once again.

Gadreel was speechless. He wanted to place his hand tenderly on her shoulder so she would open her eyes and see the light emanating from her hand, but he couldn't get himself to move. He knew what he was seeing, but it wasn't possible.

Before he could gather the strength to move pass his fear, Anne stopped chanting and pulled her hand away and began wiping the cream off his wound. The couple had opened their eyes and watched and the more she wiped the cream away, the more they searched for that nasty wound.

When the cream had been cleared off, they gasped and touched his skin, realizing that the wound was gone; completely gone. They looked at Anne surprised with tears in their eyes and when Gadreel glanced over at her, she seemed equally surprised, but she quickly masked it and held their hands as they thanked her.

Gadreel was still speechless, even when the couple had offered money, although they didn't have much. Anne negotiated for some other exchange and by then, Gadreel was too deep in thought to listen.

He knew what he saw, but it wasn't possible. A light shining as she was healing someone wasn't magic and spells, but the power of an angel. That was impossible! He couldn't understand it and his mind couldn't wrap around an explanation.

Anne slipped her hand into his and he finally snapped out of it. He glanced around and realized that the couple had left and they were now alone. As he met her eyes, they sparkled and she seemed happy, but then she seemed worried.

"Gadreel?" she asked and he turned towards her, bring up her hands and holding them tightly. "What's wrong?" she asked him and he tried to form his words, and once he began, he couldn't stop.

He explained the light he saw from her hand and how that was an angelic power, not her spell and he voiced his thoughts and fears all at once. He confessed that he was scared he couldn't protect them and now, with that light, he didn't know how to explain that. It was just impossible!

When he stopped and took deep breaths, she seemed concerned, but she forced a smile and pushed his arms around her and she hugged him tightly. She sighed and looked up at him before resting her head on his shoulder.

"That explains why my spell worked better than I anticipated." She said and they remained in silence, uncertain of what to make of that light. "How do I make it happen again?" she asked and Gadreel couldn't answer. What would he say? He knew how to heal someone, but it was difficult to explain and would he? Watching light glowing from her hand made his chest feel heavy, like he could feel something bad would happen.

"I'll call Castiel." He said and rubbed her back as he held her against him.


	23. Hunting

The song here is "Hunting" by The Darcys

 **Hunting**

The Winchesters had gone back home after pissing off Anne Cromwell. She was alright, pregnant, but alright. Her mom was fine and Gadreel was happy as can be. It seemed like the Cromwells have cut their losses and maybe the brothers should as well. After all, Anne had assured them there was no deal with Crowley that involved a bad ending. Now they returned to their lives in separate directions, again.

As they had walked into the Men of Letters' bunker, it was silent and slightly cold, but it welcomed them back. It was their sanctuary from the bullshit outside; once they were in, everything was left behind them. For once, the road wasn't their only home.

They had climbed down the spiral stairs and quickly drifted off, doing their own thing. Sam had gone to the kitchen while Dean went to his room, leaving Castiel alone in that silence and coldness to let his thoughts linger on what troubled him.

Once settled in, it didn't take long for them to return to their table with their laptops and books. The bunker was their sanctuary, but yet they searched for the next hunt. They should just lock themselves in and not want to know what was going on in the world, but with over a decade of hunting, it was like an addiction. They were hunters; they were bred for this and stepping away wasn't as easy as it sounded.

Then there was Castiel. They didn't notice at first, but eventually his behavior let them on that something wasn't right. It was like he was deep in thought, nearly a trance. His face was always in a book or some files and he didn't say a word. If they asked him a question to see if he was alright, he would say "Yes" or "Fine", even if Dean asked him stupid questions like "Why do Aliens abduct Humans if we are an inferior race?" and "If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, it is considered a hostage situation?". Clearly, Castiel was too deep into his thoughts to comprehend what his friends were saying.

The brothers were getting worried. It had to be bigger than Gadreel having a kid with Anne, living like a normal couple in a crazy death-trap world. Was it getting kicked out of Heaven that bothered Castiel? Did he feel trapped between two worlds; Heaven and Earth? Dean could relate to that, having literally been to every place between Heaven and Hell. So much as happened that there are times where he feels like he doesn't belong anywhere. If it wasn't for the Men of Letters' bunker, he'd believe it wholeheartedly.

They gave Castiel some space, but it was the same thing for days.

It was another of those times spent at the table with their laptops and glancing over at Castiel, the brothers knew they had to look into it. He wasn't getting any better, so they had to help him with whatever was bothering him.

"I'll go talk to him." Dean said, leaving the table once Sam gave him a sympathetic look. As he got half way there, his cell phone back on the table rang. He thought of ignoring it, but he couldn't bring himself to keep walking forward.

Dean turned back and picked up his phone, looking at the display screen. He didn't recognize the number, but the area code gave him an idea. He answered it and just barely got the chance to say his name.

"Is Castiel there?" said a familiar raspy voice. It took Dean a couple of seconds to answer and then recognize the voice. "Can I speak to him." Gadreel said and Dean glanced at his friend who didn't move a muscle.

"I have you tell you, he's not himself." Dean replied and Gadreel's voice suddenly took a tone of desperation.

"Please, Dean, I have to talk to him." he said and before Dean could ask what was wrong, Gadreel pleaded. "Please, it's important that I speak to Castiel. I can think of no one else to help us." He said and Dean glanced at Sam who looked at him inquisitively.

"Is Anne alright?" Dean asked and Gadreel hesitated. "Gadreel? Is she okay?" he asked again and Gadreel sighed.

"I need to speak to Castiel to make sense of this, to make sure it's what I think it is. Please Dean, I'll explain later, just please pass the phone to Castiel." He said and Dean did as he asked, although he was confused and worried.

He walked over to Castiel and then handed him the phone. At first, Castiel didn't move, but then his eyes slowly glanced at the phone and then up at Dean.

"It's Gadreel and it's serious." He added. Never had he seen Castiel move so quickly since they returned. He quickly asked Gadreel what was wrong and then he frowned. With each second, his frown deepened with concern as he listened and as he asked questions which didn't give Dean any hint to the problem.

Eventually, Castiel handed him back the phone and then vanished in a split second. Dean only noticed due to the sound of flapping wings. He brought his phone to his ear and there was no one on the other end.

He pulled the phone away and looked at it. He sighed in frustration and returned to the table. Sam looked just as confused, but seeing his brother's irritation didn't help.

"He said he'd explain what's wrong with Anne and he hangs up." He said and dropped his phone on the table. Surprising the backing didn't pop off, sending the battery across the table.

Dean sat down and threw himself back into his laptop, as if wanting to forget what had happened so the stress would roll off his shoulders.

Sam could understand his frustration; once again they were in the dark about what was going with Anne Cromwell. If she didn't want or need someone, she didn't tell them a single thing. She closed everyone out that weren't important enough to her, but they suddenly became important if she turned to them for help.

It was safe to say the Winchesters weren't accustomed to having the door slammed in their faces and being walked on more often than Welcome mats.

 **For a good laugh, check out 101 Stupid Questions (two of which I used earlier in this chapter).**

 **However, I do not approve of n** **o** **45**


	24. Soul of a Man

The song here is "Soul of a Man" by Steven Stern

 **Soul of a Man**

Gadreel's heart was beating fast, making his chest hurt like someone was crushing him. He tried not to let his panic show, but Anne could sense it all the same. She knew him better than anyone. He couldn't hide it although he wanted to so badly. He didn't want to worry her, but she was… about him.

Once he heard the familiar sound of angelic wings, he hung up on Dean. He did want to explain to him what had happened, but that wasn't his priority. When he turned, Castiel stood behind him with an expression of concern and he was ready to help.

Before Castiel could ask any questions, Gadreel explained everything, sparing no detail. From time to time, Castiel would glance over at Anne who was very calm as she sat there and watched Gadreel revealing his panic. She may not have understood exactly why this put so much fear into him, but it worried her anyway.

Castiel walked up to her when he had all the information and held out his hand. Once she hesitantly placed her hand in his, he could sense it; that angelic power surging within her. It was weak, but its presence was there nonetheless. How it got there within the child was the problem.

Castiel lifted his eyes up to hers and he wasn't certain how he could explain it to her, but he was sure that Gadreel would help.

"Anne, are you aware of what that light could be?" he asked her and she reluctantly nodded her head. She was speechless for a few seconds, as if her throat was dry.

"It's the healing light of an angel." she said and glanced at Gadreel. He quickly came to her side and wrapped his arms around her to offer her some comfort. Castiel glanced at each of them and knew the longer he remained silent, the more it tortured Anne.

He sighed and continued.

"Your child is a Nephilim." He said and she didn't seem to quite believe him. When she glanced at Gadreel, his expression didn't change. Now she understood why he was so worried.

Once again, she was speechless, despite her effort to voice her confusion.

"I don't understand." She said and she glanced at Gadreel for an answer. "You're human now. How can our baby be a Nephilim?" she asked and then, staring at Gadreel, she realized that he didn't know the answer. He was just as confused as she was. They glanced at Castiel and he was somewhat confused as well. They all knew this wasn't possible, yet it had happened.

Now they had to figure out how this happened. As Anne had stated, Gadreel was human. There was no way to explain the grace that is within his child. However, Gadreel's grace has had a long journey these last few years.

When Gadreel had sacrificed himself to free Castiel, his grace was placed in the body of Anne a while after she had been resurrected, and it remained there until she met him. When they had grown closer together, they discovered his grace was hidden away, interlocked with her soul. She sacrificed herself to free his grace and once he retrieved it, his first act as a redeemed angel was to bring back the soul that freed him. He went on to breaking Metatron's spell on Heaven and, to ensure that it stayed open, surrendered his grace; where he returned to Anne as a human.

However, now human, his child is a Nephilim.

"Is it possible that a bit of grace remains in you?" Anne asked Gadreel and he was as speechless as Castiel. It wasn't possible. Once the grace of an angel is gone, it's all or nothing; there's nothing in between such as a drop of grace. "We could see Roxanne." She added and when Castiel knit his eyebrows in a slight confusion, she explained. "The psychic that confirmed I had Gadreel's grace." She said and he nodded his head.

He glanced at Gadreel, as if considering this idea.

"We have no explanation." Gadreel said, as if pleading with Castiel to agree to this idea. "She has proven to be trustworthy." He added, as if that quality was Castiel's kryptonite. After a few silent seconds, he nodded in agreement.

"Then we shall see this psychic." He said and Gadreel gave a small smile. He looked at Anne and he could see the relief in her eyes. However, Castiel couldn't release this tension he had in his stomach, knowing that the last psychic he met despised him for what he had done to her. From what he learnt, angels never encountered humans before him and her determination to see what he was caused her to go blind, having looked upon his true form. He was certain meeting this psychic would be more pleasant, but blinding Pamela Barnes haunted him like all his other past mistakes.

Anne went into the store and found her mother helping some customers. She waited patiently and once they had left, she has explained everything to her mother. They would be leaving as soon as possible, once she has phoned Roxanne.

Viviane seemed worried, but smiled encouragingly.

She had packed some essential things with Castiel while Anne made the phone call and Gadreel packed the car. Once they were ready, they took off quickly without wasting time. Viviane watched the car as it drove off, hoping that they'd all be fine, especially her grandchild.


	25. We Are Not Alone Here

The song here is "We Are Not Alone Here" by Of Verona

 **We Are Not Alone Here**

Crowley returned to Hell and stood in his office with Gabriel, willing to give him the chance to protect his family from the angels. He had no doubt that the Archangel wanted to preserve the hybrids of the world, but that wasn't why he accepted Gabriel's offer. He found it irresistible having him in Hell because he was right; the angels wouldn't expect to see him in Crowley's company.

Not only that, but he could be useful if the demons manage to pull off another rebellion. The King of Hell, two Cambions, a Knight with the Mark of Cain and the last Archangel; it's quite the intimidating team to rise up against. Secretly, Crowley always thought having an angel as a pet would be fun. Castiel was a stick in the mud; he was too loyal to the Winchesters and all the others were so convinced that Hell was bad. However, Gabriel was just right; he was rebellious and Crowley had something that he wanted: Nerilla.

Maybe he couldn't trust Gabriel as well as he'd like to, not that he'd ever fully trust him because he didn't care to be honest. Angels were angels and, right down to their core, they'd never want to affiliate themselves with Hell. Sure, Castiel did for a while, but none would ever think of a long-term manner without feeling sick to their stomachs. Angels were just naturally that boring, even if Gabriel might be the exception.

It wasn't long before Clara appeared in the office with a look of rage in her eyes directed at Gabriel with her arms crossed over her chest. She sensed his presence again better than a Hellhound and she didn't forget the last time he paid a visit. She was convinced he was still hoping she'd leave Crowley and embrace her human half, then to encourage her daughter to do the same. Crowley didn't have to ask her to know it. He could see it based on the rage in her eyes.

She had been tormented by angels in the past and Gabriel didn't help her with her mother. She would never leave the only one that gave her love and safety from the harsh world of righteous angels and cold world of human hearts.

"What's he doing here?" she asked Crowley without taking her eyes off the Archangel. He decided to let Gabriel answer that question so if Clara would chew someone out, it would be the one with the wings and halo.

"Clara, the angels plan on killing all hybrids. I'm here to help." Gabriel said and without blinking, she glanced at Crowley as if to say "Is this bullshit?". She glanced back at Gabriel and she sized him up, as if considering allowing him to stay or vaporizing him with a flick of her fingers.

If she was thinking this over, then she was taking a leap of faith, so to speak.

"You're willing to kill your fellow angels for me? For Keara?" she asked and the question sort of surprised both Gabriel and Crowley. She glared at Gabriel as if his every movement and every word were used in her judgment of his character. She didn't like him because he cared too much for the human half in Cambions, but that didn't mean that she didn't believe him when he said he wanted to protect them against the angels.

"Yes." He said and they stared at each other with intensity. Crowley watched them with curiosity and then rested his eyes on his Queen who dropped her hands to her waist after a couple minutes of silence.

"Very well, but don't think you're doing anything without Nikolai at your side." She said and the Archangel gave a small smile as if to say he wouldn't argue. Then she glanced at Crowley and he could tell she wasn't pleased about this, but was going to let it go. "I'm going back to the mansion and Nerilla is going to be relieved of babysitting duty." She said to Crowley and then glanced at Gabriel. "Whatever Nikolai says, you obey him, or I'll burn your wings off." she added and, once again, he didn't argue.

Clara disappeared without snapping her fingers and Crowley walked Gabriel out and brought him to the torture room so he could fill him in on other problems Hell was facing.

Gabriel just looked at the demon that was barely alive before Crowley closed the door and told him that another rebellion would be on the horizon. He glanced at the King of Hell who stared in return as if clueless to the look he was receiving.

"You're only mentioning this now?" Gabriel asked and Crowley maintained that expression.

"If I thought it would deter you from entering my house to _protect_ my family, I would have mentioned it." Crowley replied and only then did his lips twitch into a small smirk. He loved playing with Gabriel, belittling him simply because he knew his Queen was much stronger then this Archangel. The fact that she didn't like him was the cherry on top of the Sundae.

"But yet, you mentioned it in the end." Gabriel said and grinned at Crowley. "I'm not an idiot, you're going to make me as useful as possible while I'm here." He added and Crowley just grinned innocently.

"Can you blame me?" Crowley asked and they both grinned at each other, as if they had some new found respect for one another.

"So, even with an elite team, the demons still try to overthrow you." Gabriel said as he shook his head. "They must really hate you." He added and Crowley glanced at him with a twitch of his lips, as if fighting a grin.

"This is Hell; of course they hate me." he replied.

As they were heading to the mansion, Gabriel caught a familiar sight at the other end of the corridor. He could be lying if he said his heart didn't make a small flip as she met his eyes. She didn't smile, but just seeing her again was enough for him.


	26. I Could Be

The song here is "I Could Be" by Kyla La Grange

 **I Could Be**

The last time he saw Nerilla, they were clearly opponents in the war that they were certain would occur between Heaven and Hell. When she was gone, part of him felt like it left with her, leaving him with this torn feeling he had been carrying ever since. Now, he felt whole again.

Ever since he met Nerilla, the broken hearted girl who had become a demon struck him as the most interesting creature with black eyes. She was eager to love and be loved, even as a demon and she accepted the fact that an angel was hiding behind a pagan mask. If anything, she found him to be the most interesting creature with wings.

They needed each other and being apart only hurt the both of them.

Crowley didn't have to see the look on their faces; the hope on the faces of star-crossed lovers. He sighed and placed his hands in his pockets as Nerilla slowed her brisk walking to slow steps of hesitation.

"I'll give you a few minutes, but I better not find you two abandoning your jobs." He said with a slight hint of disgust, without glancing at them, as he continued walking down the corridor.

They waited until Crowley was out of sight and they just looked at each other like nervous teenagers at a party. He gave a small smile and she tried, but it was clear that he had hurt her badly. This was a girl that got rejected so often that her wounds never healed over the years, even after being demonized. If anything, they deepened and bled.

However, he knew that the big bad demon Nerilla had a soft heart underneath it all that she kept only for him. Love was a sensitive issue with her, but unlike her past lovers, she held onto hope that he'd come back to her.

"Missed me?" she asked, her eyes beginning to glimmer darkly like they used to. He couldn't help but grin and then, to his surprise as well as to hers, he nodded his head.

"Like a hole in the heart." He said with a smirk, but her lips broadened softly in a sweet smile, like it was music to her ears.

Gabriel approached her and tenderly placed his hands on her hips as if he feared she step back. Nerilla stood still and looked up into his mischievous eyes with a glint of mischief of her own. He closed the gap and held her tightly against him. Then she surprised him by gently raising her arms to his shoulders and placing her hands softly on the back on his neck.

"Got drafted to Team Hell?" she asked and his lips twitched into a grin.

"The angels know they can't destroy Hell, but they think they can kill all hybrids to even the playing field." He said and she nodded her head softly as there was a sort of saddened expression in her eyes.

"Why do you care about Clara and Keara?" she asked him and it sort of stunned him. "You know they accept their dark side. You know this is their home. You know Clara doesn't like you. Why do you care?" she asked and there was no sarcasm. It was a genuine question and his lips tightened into a small smile as he asked himself that very question.

When Clara was a baby, he thought her human half would have a chance to fight. Not too long ago, he told her he wasn't a threat. He believed the angels didn't have the rights to disregard her human half just because she was a menace to their existence. She was so much more than a hybrid creature; she was a mother that loves the King of Hell and if the angels kill her and her child, they'll anger that demon King. Gabriel knew that Crowley would never stop until all of Heaven is destroyed and any demons that loved her would ruin the world.

"Why disturb the den of a sleeping lion simply because you fear it'll kill you?" he asked and Nerilla didn't change her expression. If anything, she probably thought that line was lame. "The angels are only digging their own grave." He added and the dark glimmer returned to her eyes.

"What happened to giving them a fair chance at war?" she asked him and then his lips broke out in a grin.

"Screw them; they're idiots." He said and then pulled her in for a hard kiss. That kiss confirmed that he had withdrawn his loyalties to the angels and placed them in her hands, into Hell. It had confirmed that he still loved Nerilla and always did.

She pushed him up against the wall, their kiss hardening with such greedy passion. He hoisted her up and held her against him as she wrapped her legs around him. He then turned and slammed her into the wall, grabbed her arms and pinned them by her head.

When he pulled away from her, there was a dark glimmer of mischief in her eyes. It was like looking at his reflection, but with an evil twist.

"You really did miss me." she said, nearly hissing like a snake.

"If I told you you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me?" Gabriel asked with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes and a grin to match. Nerilla smiled darkly and arched her body against him.

"For turning your back on me, I'm going to nail you." She said and her lips twitched into a dark grin. Just as Gabriel smiled and was about to lean in for another kiss, she snapped her fingers and disappeared.

He looked at the bare wall in front of him and heard her laughter behind him. When he turned, she had her arms crossed over her chest and a dark smile on her lips.

"Of course, you have to crawl back into my good graces first." She said and walked down the hall towards the office, leaving Gabriel standing there with a slightly stunned expression on his face. However, he admired her so much more. She was no longer the jilted lover he had known all these years. She knew he loved her and wouldn't leave her, so she knew she could withhold something that he wanted and his hunger for her would intensify only the way a demon could ever appreciate.


	27. Lone Wolf

The song here is "Lone Wolf" by Jadea Kelly

 **Lone Wolf**

When Gabriel arrived at the mansion, after several corridors and nearly getting lost, which getting lost in Hell was not an option, he stood frozen at the stunning view. The mansion was nothing like he expected. It was amazing architecture with beautiful sculptures – of course, it was all fitting for Hell. It was so intimidating, but beautiful. He could imagine although one was struck by fear, they wouldn't be able to turn away.

He stepped forward and just as he got to the large doors, which were also intimidating, they opened and revealed a smug looking Knight with the Mark of Cain. He stood there like a model revealing his perfect physique and his dashing good looks. Then, he blinked and his eyes turned black as he grinned.

"Hello, Gabriel." He said and blinked his eyes back to normal, as normal as the eyes of a demon get – with a dark glimmer of mischief worse than what he had seen in Nerilla's eyes. His voice was smooth, as if he was seducing a vulnerable young maiden. Typical egotistical Knight of Hell.

"Nikolai." Gabriel said with a small smile. Nikolai was so sure of himself he could pass as the son of Pride, the Deadly Sin. As Gabriel approached with caution, the Knight didn't step aside to invite him in, as if trying to daunt his guest, despite that cute plastic ring on his hand – which would be very wise not mention.

"Heard you wanted to protect Clara and Keara." He said and then he lost all the friendliness in his face, if he even had any to begin with. "What? I'm not up to your standards?" he asked and Gabriel was formulating a plan of action as he spoke to Nikolai. He had to figure out a way to show he was on the same side and that he didn't belittle Nikolai's position. Oh yes, although Nikolai was mischievous, he was also very dangerous. Newsflash: the First Blade kills anything and everything.

That old jawbone in Nikolai's hand could kill anything, including angels. It was the most fearsome weapon and it was nowhere to be seen. Did Nikolai have it hidden on his person or was it elsewhere? It was probably the same question other demons had asked themselves. Maybe the Knight did it on purpose as to intimidate.

"The angels don't expect –" he began, raising his hands in a sort of subservient manner, but the Knight chuckled and stepped aside.

"Just messin' with you." He said and gestured for Gabriel to come in. "So defensive." He added as the Archangel stepped through the doorframe. "Don't be afraid of my stunning muscles, even if their bite is worse than their bark." He concluded and Gabriel glanced at him with a grin and a glimmer of mischief in his eyes.

"Yes, that's exactly what I fear." He replied with sarcasm that got Nikolai to chuckle again.

He smacked Gabriel on the shoulder as they walked in, as if he had the Knight's approval. However, Nikolai was going to put down some ground rules, like he couldn't be within five feet of Keara or he'd get one Hell of a punch to the face. Gabriel glanced at Nikolai, knowing that he wasn't just overprotective of the child, but he had strong emotions for her, as much as he had for her mother. He was a dangerous demon with the Mark of Cain, and yet this child had melted the heart of those around her, especially Nikolai. Gabriel could see that he reserved all of his softness for her and everyone else got this smug arrogance. Lucky them.

Then, Nikolai showed him the house and he grinned as the Archangel was impressed at the mansion. He told Gabriel the story of Crowley building the mansion for Clara, without mentioning that it was an apology for snapping at her. He even left out the fact that he had painted sigils onto the walls before construction was complete; sigils that would protect his family at the drop of his blood or permanent lockdown at his death. No angel needed to know that little detail.

"Almost human of him." Gabriel said and Nikolai grinned darkly as he glanced over. If looks could kill, Gabriel would have been sliced and diced, but Nikolai didn't seem angry.

"Don't let him hear that." Nikolai replied and moved on. "Clara gave him a beautiful daughter with a darkness like his own and he felt that she deserved better than an apartment." He added and glanced at Gabriel with a smirk. "Is it almost human of him if he wants to cherish his Queen and give his daughter a wonderful home where she can grow safely?" he concluded and the Archangel just grinned, as if the sentiment shattered the stereotypes he held against the King of Hell.

"It's a beautiful place." Gabriel said, taking in every detail during their walk around the mansion. Nikolai nodded in agreement.

Yeah, it was a beauty; it reflected Clara perfectly: regal, strong, impressive and beautiful. Nikolai knew he could trust Gabriel because the Archangel respected the Queen of Hell and her child. He also respected Crowley and he knew his place around the Knight of Hell. They were going to make a good team.

Now that Gabriel had his full approval, Nikolai tapped his shoulder hard, receiving this slightly insulted expression at being so brutally handled.

"Now, your surprise." Nikolai said with a smirk that made Gabriel suspicious. Not words you want to hear in Hell.


	28. Gold Guns Girls

The song here is "Gold Guns Girls" by Metric

 **Gold Guns Girls**

Nerilla returned to the office and sat down behind Clara's desk, looking at all the paper work. Did more appear while she was away? She lifted some up and began reading. It was boring work, but it was better than being just one of many demons that Crowley and Clara didn't acknowledge. Not that they weren't good at being King and Queen, it's just every demon has a job to do. It's like an office building filled with workers that the bosses don't meet until the big Christmas Party. Except in Hell, there's no meeting the bosses at the big Christmas Party.

As she was going through the paper work, there was a subtle knock at the door as if they weren't sure if they should or not. Nerilla lifted up her head and narrowed her eyes. A Newbie, no doubt.

"C'mon, I don't have all day." She said and she couldn't resist the urge to grin. That sounded like something Crowley would say.

The door opened and a bombshell wearing a little black dress walked in. No doubt she was a crossroad demon. She approached slowly and then stood a foot away with her hands folded together before her, but her eyes were full of the typical disdain as if she was put off that Nerilla rose above them all to serve their King and Queen.

"Sit down, will you?" she said and the demon did, sitting there like a supermodel for a job interview that she knew she would get. "State your name and business." she asked and the demon gave a small smile as she spoke.

"Stephanie. I want to fill out a report." She said and Nerilla opened one of the drawers and looked through the empty reports that were available to fill out. She glanced at the demon and arched an eyebrow.

"About?" she asked, needing to know what kind of report.

"A fellow crossroad demon that has gone against our contract." Stephanie said and Nerilla pulled one out and placed it on the desk. Before the demon could take it, Nerilla pulled it slightly out of reach and stared at this demon.

"If it's serious, you can fill out the report after you've told me about it." she said and the demon stared back at her defiantly. "Or I can summon Nikolai if that'll make you more compliant." She added and the demon glared slightly and sat back in the chair.

"Always get Nikolai to do your work for you?" Stephanie asked and Nerilla just gave a smug smile.

"Just for the special ones." She said and the smile quickly faded. "Now, what has this demon done?" she asked. Stephanie just stared, but then rolled her eyes and looked away, as if surrendering for only this one moment.

"Our contract states that we're summoned by a client and once we have our deal, we come back so someone like you can file it." Stephanie said and Nerilla pushed aside the urge to inflict some pain. "We can't wander around upstairs and certainly can't keep a watchful eye on potential clients. Crowley made that clear." She said and shot Nerilla a glare. She couldn't help but bring back her smug smile.

"Ah, got the memo. That's good." She said and rested her chin on her fist. "Go on." She added and Stephanie looked away again.

"Kelley has been wandering after she has been summoned. I was there when she had a deal to make and she still has not returned." Stephanie said and Nerilla watched her carefully. It was odd that she wasn't looking at her when she spoke. It couldn't just be because she loathed the fact that Nerilla was the Lieutenant.

"How long has she been gone?" Nerilla asked her and then Stephanie looked at her.

"Three days." She said and then remained silent. Nerilla pushed the report towards her and watched as Stephanie filled it out. Once she was done and had filled out every part correctly, Nerilla sent her out and took the initiative to investigate it before bringing it to Crowley's attention.

She got a map, some ingredients and some matches to locate Kelley's whereabouts. She mixed the ingredients and placed it everywhere on the map, then lit a match; lighting the map on fire. It burned quickly, but then closed in on one area and the fire died, but not before a spark flew upwards and fell directly on a little dot.

New Haven, Massachusetts.

Nerilla snapped her fingers, a new trick thanks to her promotion to Lieutenant, and found herself in a pleasant little park overlooking a pretty pond with birds and a path all around being used by joggers. It was so nice; it was sort of nauseating that it made Nerilla homesick.

She glanced around and in the distance, on the other side of the pond, Nerilla could feel the presence of a demon. If she thought Stephanie was a Newbie, then this one near still had the umbilical cord. She was a new crossroad demon and it was obvious. She was scanning the crowd, but if she sensed Nerilla, she didn't know where to spot her.

Then, her attention was taken away when a young man stepped up to her, nervous, and then sat down next to her on the bench. She smiled sweetly and they began talking to each other. She was clearly flirting with him, but there was something… wrong with him. The way he glanced around, the way he was sure not to sit too close to her or touch her. He was so odd that he stuck out like a sore thumb.

Nerilla also noticed something about him, something familiar, but for the moment, she had to focus on Kelley and her intentions. Was she persuading him to become her next client? Stephanie got the memo, why didn't Kelley?

Well, there goes Crowley's next victim.

Then, her mystery date stood up and softly picked up her hand and placed a subtle kiss on her hand. It was such an old-fashioned gesture that it finally clicked. Nerilla knew who he was.

Gavin MacLeod, Crowley's son.

Nerilla quickly took out her cell phone and called Nikolai, waiting impatiently for him to answer. When he finally did, she blurted out everything so fast that there was complete silence on the other end of the line.

"Wait for Crowley." he said and hung up.

She watched as Gavin was about to walk away, but then he quickly turned around and spoke to Kelley again, more nervous than before. Kelley seemed surprised, but then she smiled and her cheeks blushed. Gavin sat down next to her and did something bold: he held her hand as he spoke to her. It seemed he was asking her something pretty serious.

 _Good,_ Nerilla thought, _keep talking. Let Crowley see this for himself and then bye-bye Kelley; another one bites the dust._


	29. The Pretender

The song here is "The Pretender" by The Foo Fighters

 **The Pretender**

Nikolai had walked up to the corridor that led to Keara's room and beside him was a rocking chair with a cushion. He gestured to it and Gabriel glanced at it, back at him and then the chair again. He arched his eyebrow and then scratched his temple.

"This is the surprise?" he asked and when he glanced at Nikolai, noticed the dark smirk on his face.

"It gets better." Nikolai said and pulled out from his jacket a bag of assorted candies. "Free candy for your heart's delight." He added and Gabriel looked at the candy and then at Nikolai.

"I'm supposed to sit here and eat candy?" he asked and Nikolai grinned as he threw the bag of candy onto the chair.

"Keara's sleeping and you're out of Crowley and Clara's way, so yeah, sit here and eat candy." He said and Gabriel narrowed his eyes as if he didn't appreciate that. "What do you think I do? I have pretend tea with a two year old and when I'm not doing that, I'm doing whatever Crowley and Clara want. So, that leaves you to sit here and eat your freakin' candy." He concluded as he crossed his arms over his chest, glaring playfully at Gabriel. "Or I could always go with my plan B surprise." He concluded with a dark smile.

Gabriel looked at the rocking chair and the bag of candy, then shrugged his shoulders.

"Fair enough." He said and picked up the bag of candy, sitting down and then tearing into the bag, unwrapping a piece faster than Nikolai had ever seen.

"That's a good boy." Nikolai said and then walked away. He was going to see how the King and Queen were doing with a possible rebellion looming over their heads when his cell phone buzzed.

He pulled out his cell phone and flipped it open. He didn't have to check the caller ID; the only one that called him was Nerilla.

"What's up Buttercup?" he asked and got an ear full of babble. Nerilla talked so fast that he was surprised that he was able to catch all of it. When she stopped to take a breath, he knew she had given all the details. "Wait for Crowley." he said with a serious tone of voice and he hung up, taking large strides as he walked throughout the mansion to find their King of Hell.

He zoned in on the Master bedroom and he knocked before he could even think it over. There were gentle footsteps and he knew who would be opening the door. As the door opened, he quickly blurted it out before Clara could say anything.

"Crowley needs to get to New Haven, Massachusetts." He said and Clara arched an eyebrow and then glanced over her shoulder, no doubt at Crowley. Then there were those footsteps, the ones that weren't in a hurry for anyone and that resonate authority.

The door opened wider, as if Crowley pushed it open instead of nudging Clara out of the way, which he would never do.

"You need to see this." Nikolai said and Crowley maintained that expression that was difficult to read. However, he knew his Knight had something urgent. Nikolai walked back down to the end of the hall to give his King and Queen some time to talk.

Crowley reassured Clara, gave her a gently kiss and left the Master bedroom. He met up with Nikolai and before he could say anything, Crowley glanced at him and gave him an order.

"You, stay here, watch my family." He said and then vanished.

Crowley appeared in New Haven, exactly in a park with a pond. He stood exactly next to Nerilla and she sighed in relief as she glanced at him while he looked around. She didn't have to point across for him to look. He saw him immediately and his jaw clenched.

"Stephanie reported Kelley wandering around after making a deal, but it seems like she's persuading…" she said and let her sentence fall because Crowley was already mad; the last thing she wanted to do was say his son's name.

As Crowley watched, he thought about the rebellion. When Nikolai had first brought it up to his attention, Clara overheard and he reassured her that this was about him. The demons loathed him for claiming himself King of Hell. The rebellion, if there was one, was only to infuriate him.

Now there was no doubt that a rebellion was being put into motion because there was a demon talking to his son. If Crowley was to eliminate a competitor, it would be to target what makes that competitor vulnerable. And Gavin made him vulnerable just as much as Clara and Keara. His family was a part of him, demon or not. Of course, no demon would dare hurt Clara and Keara and not just because they are powerful, but they are too highly respected.

But Gavin wasn't.

"When he walks away, leave him to me. You attend to Kelley. We're going to interrogate her." Crowley said and vanished, but Nerilla knew he wasn't far. She kept a watchful eye on Kelley and the second Gavin walked away, she moved in on the unsuspecting Newbie crossroad demon that seemed pretty love stuck, although it's all an act.


	30. Holding Onto Heaven

The song here is "Holding onto Heaven" by Foxes

 **Holding onto Heaven**

It was a long car ride filled with worry and stress, not to forget to mention silence, but Anne seemed to be holding it together better than Gadreel could manage. He kept glancing at her and when she would meet his eyes, she would smile as if to say "relax, it'll be fine".

He tried to let go of his worry, but it frightened him that their baby was a Nephilim. How was it possible? He couldn't wrap his mind around it and the more he tried, the more it bothered and upset him.

He nearly flinched when he felt Anne's soft touch on his arm. That would have caused the car to veer off on the highway. He had to keep it under control and focus on driving or he'd get them all killed.

"I'm sorry." He said and she gave a slight frown as she stared at him with concern in her eyes.

"There's no need to be sorry, Gadreel. I'm not. I wouldn't change a single thing." She said and when he glanced at her, looking at her, made his worry fade away. He managed a smile and when she removed her hand, he gripped it gently, finding some comfort in her warmth.

"I wouldn't either, but I'm just worried. I don't understand this and it scares me." he said and she leaned over as much as her seatbelt allowed her. She felt that he need her tenderness to comfort him, but she was sort of lost for words. What could she say to make him feel less worried and scared?

"We'll get through this together and we're going to have a beautiful baby." She said and smiled. Although she wasn't certain what to say to make him feel better, she seemed to have found just the right words. Gadreel smiled at her and seemed like himself, at least for the moment.

Anne remained close to him, until the seatbelt started to hurt her, then she had to move back, but Gadreel was all right now.

The car returned to silence and Gadreel nearly forgot that Castiel was in the backseat. He glanced up in the review mirror and it was difficult to see his expression, but he seemed worried. Gadreel had to take a deep breath or he'd start getting upset again. He had to replay Anne's words in his head to keep himself composed.

They eventually arrived at Roxanne's place and when looking at her house, the last time they were there played in Gadreel's mind like a movie. She had hypnotized Anne so she could unblock her memories and then his grace was revealed. Roxanne told him that he could only remove his grace when her body and soul were separated and she foresaw Anne killing herself so his grace would be free. She spoke three words that had changed him forever; she confessed her love for him and then it all happened so fast. Anne was dying in his arms and the second he regained his grace, he healed her. She was too precious to lose. From that moment, he knew that she had become the most important thing and that he wouldn't be an angel for very long.

As he glanced over at her, unbuckling her seatbelt, he really didn't regret a single thing in his whole existence. He was with the woman he loved and they were about to have a baby. They had been through so much together and their Nephilim baby would be alright, regardless of the fact that he couldn't understand. At that moment, it didn't matter; he would be getting an answer soon from a very reliable friend.

And then, just like the first time, Roxanne opened the door and leaned in the doorway, waiting for them. She smiled and waved and even seemed a little surprised when she saw them coming out of the car. Was she surprised to see Anne pregnant or their angel friend Castiel? Either way, Gadreel felt like she should have already seen that.

They walked up and Roxanne welcomed them in a warm hug. She took Anne's hands and looked at her with a bright smile.

"It's about time you two." She said and winked at Gadreel as she hugged Anne one more time before moving on to him. "Glad to see you're happy." She said and Gadreel smiled, wondering if she had known what he was thinking before he got out of the car.

Then Roxanne looked over at Castiel and gave him a friendly smile.

"Hi, stranger." She said and then extended her hand for a handshake. Castiel returned the friendly smile and shook her hand, but then Gadreel noticed that there was something a little alerting. There was a look in their eyes as if they were having a silent conversation.

Then, as quickly as it occurred, it was gone. Roxanne welcomed them inside and asked if they wanted any beverages or snacks, mostly with Anne in mind.

"We're pretty worried, so if it's alright with you, maybe snacks later?" Anne asked and Roxanne smiled and nodded. She sat down on the couch and gestured for Anne to sit next to her. She took her hands and closed her eyes as Gadreel and Castiel quietly took their seats across from them.

Roxanne's face had a blank expression, but then her lips twitched into a smile. When she opened her eyes a minute or so later, she smiled brightly at Anne and pulled her in for a hug.

"Our baby's a Nephilim?" Anne asked and when Roxanne pulled away, she nodded slightly.

"I saw a small glow within your child. He or she might not be a powerful Nephilim, but enough to get noticed." She said and then, in a subtle manner, glanced at Castiel for a brief second before Gadreel or Anne could notice.

"How is that possible?" Gadreel asked and she glanced at him, biting her lower lip as if she wasn't entirely certain, but had an idea.

"My theory might or might not be correct, but it's all I have to offer." She said and they all stared at her, prepared to hear it even if she was wrong. "What if in order for an angel to live their life as a human, a small amount of grace must remain to compensate for the lack of a soul?" she asked and then Castiel glanced down at his feet. That was probably a very likely theory because angels didn't have souls. If one became a human, what stood in the place of a soul?

Roxanne was an incredible being with an unbelievable gift. She had sight that went beyond the physical plain like a celestial being. She could even see the things that were hidden deep, the things that one didn't want others to know. No power could keep her from seeing those things.

Castiel glanced back up and he knew that sooner or later, Roxanne would force his hand. He dreaded it, but he had to agree that Gadreel and Anne had the right to know, now that their baby is a hybrid.

At that moment, Castiel knew what he wanted to do. He knew what his mission was in all of this. He would once again be a rebel to Heaven.


	31. Black Dog

**Sorry for not having posted chapters in such a long time. I haven't even written new chapters (my last one was Chapter 67…) and it's killing me. I wanted so badly to finish this story, but I didn't meet my deadline (which was before September…). So sorry. I hope this doesn't discourage you from reading my story.**

The song here is "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin

 **Black Dog**

Gavin was walking down the path that turned into the sidewalk, smiling and feeling full of life. This was a strange world. He was an outsider that didn't belong anywhere, but for the first time, he was starting to feel like he belonged somewhere. Since meeting Kelley, she made him feel alive and he was actually starting to like this new world.

She wasn't reserved like the girls he had known. There was no protocol of courting like he had known. All he had to do was talk to Kelley; ask her out on a date and a relationship was forming. There's not even an obligation to meet her parents before courting her! He had read in magazines that people could get married within hours of knowing each other. Lifestyles in this time was so much different that the ones in his time. How could he not start liking his new life?

He was feeling so confidant. He had a job at a local grocery store, a nice apartment and a bike to get around town. He never thought he'd be this happy, especially since meeting his father and shortly being dumped in an unknown area that he later discovered to be outside of New Haven, Massachusetts. That sucked, he didn't know anything or anyone. His father just dumped him and forgot about him.

Yes, his father. The King of Hell that wanted him to remain alive, but still didn't love him enough to have close by. He hadn't seen his father again since being dumped and he wondered if that was such a bad thing. The best thing his father had done was keep these Winchester brothers from putting him back in the past and then leaving him alone.

Then Gavin stopped, contemplating if he was being hypocritical. Then he shrugged it off and returned to his apartment. It didn't matter. He turned on his radio and played the cassette player, listening to a mix tape of what he came to understand to be Classic Rock. It was so interesting that although he didn't quite grasp the concept of it, he liked it. It's a sort of trendy music. And yes, he learnt the word "trendy" and he liked using it.

Then, at that moment, a familiar voice made him freeze in place.

"You actually live in this filth?" asked the voice. Gavin turned around and he was filled with a mixture of dread and hope as his father glanced around, looking disgusted at the half torn wallpaper, stains of the walls, half torn carpet and old furniture that even a homeless person might pass up.

"It's got potential." Gavin said and his father met his eyes with an expression of disgust and confusion.

"As what? A meth lab?" Crowley asked and Gavin frowned with confusion.

"What's a meth lab?" he asked and Crowley rolled his eyes like he always did when he thought Gavin to be a moron. "Never mind." He said, trying to convince his father that he was not a moron. "Why are you here?" he asked and Crowley glanced at him with a difficult expression to read.

"What, not happy to see your own father?" he asked and Gavin took too long to respond, not that his father took any offense. "Met a girl, I see." Crowley added and Gavin shifted from one foot to another. "Yes, I know. What you don't know is that she's got commitments elsewhere." He said and Gavin balled up his fists as a spark of anger ignited. He was so angry that all of a sudden, his father shows an interest in his life only to pull the rug out from under his feet.

"I don't believe you." He said and Crowley's expression didn't change. "She's not the type that would be married and fool around." He added and Crowley looked annoyed. Worst, was that his father seemed to be contemplating something. He always did that, like using sarcasm was more fun, especially when Gavin did look like a moron.

"She's a crossroad demon." Crowley said with a slight pause, making Gavin feel like a sarcastic remark was on the way. "Ask yourself why she's around you, my son." He said and Gavin's fists began trembling. If his father saw his rage, he didn't care.

"Why are you doing this? You don't want me to be happy, is that it?" he asked his father and the past came flooding toward him. All those times his father would beat him; beating out his hopes and dreams for a better life. Now that he had one, his father was here telling him his date was a demon that had a hidden agenda.

"She's using you to get to me." Crowley said and Gavin, despite his rage, couldn't resist a disgusted chuckle. Only then did Crowley frown as if he was surprised that his son was growing a backbone.

"It's always about you, isn't it?" he asked and Crowley's frown relaxed into that difficult expression again.

"I'm King of Hell, so yes." He said and Gavin laughed again.

"No, no it was always about you, even when I was a child. You were such an absent father that –" he began, but Crowley raised his hand, stunning him into silence.

"Save the tormented childhood lecture." He said and Gavin closed his mouth, clenching his jaw as his fists trembled again. "Believe me, Gavin; she's not after you for your good looks." He said, obviously in a condescending tone or voice rather than giving a compliment. He could imagine his father making that all about himself like usual by saying that it was a glimmer of his own good looks that he had passed down. "That you clearly inherited from me." Crowley added and Gavin couldn't resist a chuckle. Yes, there was the arrogance.

"I refuse to believe you." Gavin said and Crowley glanced at the apartment again. He probably wanted to hit Gavin for his insubordination, but Gavin secretly hoped that his father admired it. However, he highly doubted it.

"Fine, but I'm not taking chances." He said and then snapped his fingers. At that moment, Gavin looked at his father with confusion and glancing around the apartment, wondering if his father tried to make the walls more appealing.

Then he heard the growl. He looked around, but couldn't see what was making that noise.

"Relax, it's just a Hellhound." Crowley said and Gavin glanced at his father with a dropped jaw.

"Just a Hellhound?" he asked, unable to wrap his mind around that. Was his father trying to kill him?

"Demons will try to get to you to get to me. Rocky will attack any demon that makes an approach." He said and Gavin's face paled. "So, don't worry about feeding him." His father added.

Suddenly, he was so angry at his father that he was in a state of disbelief. He didn't know what to do or say, but as he looked at his father, part of him wondered if his father did love him.

Why prevent him from going back into the past where he will die? Why summon a Hellhound to protect him against demons? Before he could ask, his father vanished into thin air, leaving only an invisible Hellhound that had now gone so silent that Gavin was afraid to move.

Maybe life was better off without his father's presence. He was still struggling with an opinion on the matter.


	32. All This and Heaven Too

The song here is "All This and Heaven Too" by Florence + the Machine

 **All This and Heaven Too**

It was the only thing that made sense. Gadreel surrendered his grace to keep Heaven open, but he couldn't let all of it go, not without snuffing out his existence. A small part of his grace remained to make his wish possible and now their baby inherited it.

Gadreel was now able to understand it and now it didn't seem so frightening, if it wasn't for the fact that the angels didn't like Nephilims. Luckily, Jane, the only Nephilim in existence, has been left alone since her resurrection due to the spell that he cast to break that of Metatron. Maybe their baby would be equally left alone by the angels. He had to doubt that they would hurt him and his family because he reopened Heaven and his grace made it possible to stay open.

Then, all that came crashing down.

Roxanne was silent as she smiled at Anne. The theory she delivered settled alright with her and she smiled at Gadreel.

"I wouldn't change a single thing." She said softly and Gadreel smiled.

"So, want to know if it's a boy or a girl?" Roxanne asked and Anne quickly answered.

"No." she said and then smiled, glancing at Gadreel. "I think we'd rather it be a surprise." She added as she rubbed her stomach. Roxanne just smirked and glanced at Gadreel, as if wishing he'd ask, dying of curiosity. Then she sighed and nodded.

"Fine, but if you ever get tired of that 'surprise' bit, call me." she said and Anne shot her a playful glare.

Then, at that moment, once again unnoticed by Anne and Gadreel, Roxanne glanced at Castiel with a cold expression, as if to say "tell them or I will". He nodded, but he glanced down at his hands, uncertain of how to tell them without driving them insane with worry. Gadreel was distraught about his baby being a Nephilim, but now…

It would be unbearable.

However, he had to tell them. Castiel glanced up at them and when Gadreel met his eyes, there was that look; he knew something was wrong. Castiel sighed and sat straight in his chair and Gadreel frowned with confusion.

"What aren't you telling me?" Gadreel asked and Roxanne was ready to jump in, but Castiel wasted no time. He knew she wasn't bluffing.

"Shortly after leaving your place the other day, I could hear the angels talking; planning something that would create a balance in the world rather than destroying something that they can't obliterate." Castiel began and when he glanced over at Anne, concern filled her soft eyes. "Defeating Hell isn't an option, but they believe they can reduce both Heaven and Hell to what they used to be by killing the hybrids." He added and then both Anne and Gadreel's faces paled. This was the part he was dreading and their expressions wasn't helping. He might just let Roxanne take over for him, but this was his duty. No matter the pain, he had to tell them.

"Clara, Keara and our baby?" Anne asked, her voice full of fear, as if she was on the verge of crying. Gadreel quickly made two steps and sat behind her on the couch, holding her tight in his arms as Roxanne held onto her hands for comfort.

"The angels don't know of your child." Castiel said and then Gadreel shot him a cold glare, a sight that stunned Castiel momentarily.

"Not yet." He said and Castiel wasn't sure if that was to mean that the angels discover everything or that Castiel would betray them. Either way, it wasn't important. He could understand that they were afraid. He couldn't blame Gadreel for being angry.

"The angels won't succeed. It'll be certain death concerning the Cambions and even if they were to succeed, Crowley would stop at no end to destroy Heaven." he said, which didn't do much good, by the looks of things. "I promise to protect you until they can be stopped." He added and both Anne and Gadreel were silent, but they glanced at him as if that somehow offered some comfort. However, comforting each other was more important.

"I'll make you two some tea." Roxanne said, placing a hand on their hands as if to tell them that everything was going to be okay.

When Roxanne had been gone for several seconds, both Anne and Gadreel glanced at him with concern in their eyes. Castiel swallowed hard, knowing that simply protecting them wouldn't ease their minds that quickly.

"Who's going to stop them from assassinating the hybrids?" Anne asked and judging by Gadreel's expression, he had been thinking the same thing. "Let me guess, you expect the Winchesters to do something? Clara won't because she doesn't care; she might only protect us because we're relatives." She added and Castiel nodded.

"I honestly don't know." He said, uncertain of what else to say. However, he knew that someone might be able to help with that. Someone once came to him to step up and take action; now he was going to say the same to him, since he was still the only one that ranked highest amongst the angels.


	33. Reins

The song here is "Reins" by Chelsea Wolfe

 **Reins**

Crowley returned to home sweet home and opened the door to another little room to torture informants. Nerilla was already waiting for him and there on the metal slab was the very nervous Kelley, bound so tightly to the slab that wiggling didn't provide much help.

As he closed the door behind him, her eyes wandered all over the place, filled with confusion. He approached and she seemed afraid, but there was no guilt in her eyes, as if she genuinely didn't know why she was there under the King of Hell's cold glare.

At that moment, Clara opened the door and walked in, glancing at everyone and then back at Crowley for some answers. Nerilla closed the door and crossed her arms over her chest as everyone stared at Kelley.

"Why am I here?" she finally asked, her voice quivering with fear.

"You've been reported for breaking your contract." Nerilla said, taking the initiative in her role as Lieutenant while the King and Queen just stared at Kelley. "Wandering around when you're supposed to come back with a deal. Then I find you talking to Gavin MacLeod." She added and Kelley began to tremble, but she glanced at Crowley with confusion.

Clara wasn't too sure what was going on, but she knew that if it involved Crowley's son, it had to be related to the possible rebellion. She placed her hand in Crowley back, but he didn't show anything in his expression or body language. However, she could sense his essence reacting to her touch; acknowledging her support.

"I don't understand." Kelley said and glanced at Crowley with a pained expression in her eyes. "You gave me the orders." She said and Crowley frowned in confusion. "Was I not to your satisfaction?" she asked and all eyes turned towards him. He relaxed his frown, but his eyes were cold as his rage began to boil.

"I did no such thing." He said and then her bottom lip began to quiver as tears formed in her eyes. She reeked of fear so much that even Clara felt an agitation, like the demon in her wanted to tear Kelley into pieces.

"I had received a letter signed by you. I didn't want to disappoint you." She said and Nerilla glanced at her in a sort of disbelief. "It's in my left pocket." She said and Nerilla quickly searched for it. She lifted it up and turned to Crowley, still with that disbelief on her face. She handed it to Crowley for him to read where Clara joined in from over his shoulder.

The letter was exactly that. It gave Kelley the orders to watch Gavin and persuade him over time to make a deal so he could join his father. And yes, it was signed by Crowley, but there was a problem with that.

Crowley glanced at Kelley as she trembled with fear.

"This isn't my signature." He said and she went into a crying fit as if realizing that she was doomed. Of course, he wasn't a fool. Kelley really believed that he had given her those orders. She was loyal – blind, but loyal. "This means that you were being used." He said and she managed to control herself as she stared at him with confusion.

He glanced up at Nerilla and she knew what he was implying.

"What?" Kelley asked.

"Stephanie made the report. She must have written the letter." Nerilla said and then growled, which was unexpected. "Explains so much." She mumbled and balled her hands into fists. She glanced at Crowley and his expression told her what she needed to know. "I'll hunt her down." She said and then vanished with the snap of her fingers.

Clara glanced at Crowley and in a silent exchange; they released Kelley from her bindings. She trembled still, as if she was certain that she would still die for her imprudence. However, the King and Queen just stood there, looking at her and then exchanging glances once again.

"I'm sorry." She said and Clara smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Please don't eat me." She added, which made Clara chuckle.

"How would you like to change jobs?" she asked and Kelley looked up at her in surprise. When she glanced at Crowley, his expression was difficult to read, as if he had nothing to do with this, but would allow it.

"Change jobs?" she asked, nearly stuttering.

"Care to be Nerilla's assistant?" Clara asked and Kelley was stunned into momentary silence.

"Like her Captain?" she asked and Clara smirked.

"More like her Sergeant." She corrected, not that the rank title mattered. The point of all this was to keep Kelley safe… and close so that they could make a great demon out of her. She was a loyal demon and as naïve as they come; fresh off the demonizing slab. They had to make sure that they had demons they could count on when the time came and Nerilla would toughen her up.

"I'd love that, if it's alright with the Lieutenant." Kelley said and then glanced at Crowley as if she needed his approval as well. His expression still hadn't changed, but his eyes were dark as if he agreed with Clara.

"Of course." She said and led Kelley out of that room. "Help her find Stephanie and see that no one tries to persuade Gavin." She added and as she glanced at Crowley, she could see a spark of rage in his dark eyes. It's not that he disapproved; it's that he was angry that some demon dare target his son as the start of the rebellion. A pissed off Crowley means a vindictive and more-than-usual cunning Crowley.


	34. Born to Make a Sound

The song here is "Born to Make a Sound" by The Material

 **Born to Make a Sound**

Nerilla summoned Hellhounds and had them search for Stephanie as she searched herself. She had done the same spell she had used to find Kelley. The results were disappointing. So far there was nothing. The demon bitch had disappeared and there was no doubt that she was behind this fake letter. She was hiding herself pretty good and that worried Nerilla.

Was she acting alone or were there other players in this hunt for Gavin? How could she hide so well? Where is she and what is she doing?

The next thing to do was to summon the top crossroad demon to the office for some questions. Nerilla knew that he knew all activities of the crossroad demons. When Crowley had that position years back, he hadn't called himself King of the Crossroads for nothing. Not only had he been the top demon of that department, but he knew everything that was going on.

This demon was her best shot at finding Stephanie.

Nerilla sat behind Clara's desk, waiting, but shortly after, the door opened and Kelley popped her head inside with a nervous facial expression. What an unexpected surprise; she had just gained an ally in this fucked up situation.

"The Queen said I'm your Sergeant." She said and Nerilla grinned as she gestured for her to step in. Of course Clara would want to keep Kelley close; she was like an idiot, and that was putting it mildly.

"Stand behind me and don't say a word." She said and Kelley tightened her lips and nodded her head, quickly taking her place behind Nerilla with her hands folded behind her back. "Soon, I'll have an informant sit across from me and if he asks you any questions, only answer if I give the okay. Understand?" she asked and glanced over her shoulder to see Kelley nodding her head.

Nerilla rolled her eyes having discovered that Kelley was one of these literal obedient demons. Who the Hell allowed her to become a demon? Was she this stupid as a human?

At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

"Enter." Nerilla said and the door opened to reveal a pretty intimidating demon. He was big and muscular and she could sense that the demon within was perfectly matched to his vessel. He was strong and powerful, rightful to be the top crossroad demon. All she wondered now was if he also considered himself to be King of the Crossroads.

Or was that just a Crowley thing?

But, maybe his name suggested something; Hector, the bravest and most famous Trojan warrior. Perhaps that was cause for worry… or was she reading too much into it?

"Please take a seat." She asked and he sat down, staring at her with such darkness in his eyes that it was flattering. "What can you tell me about Stephanie?" she asked and he seemed very calm that it was sort of refreshing, but it also made Nerilla uneasy.

"She brings in a lot of deals." He replied, his voice smooth, but deep like he was someone to fear. "She's good at her job." He added and smiled in a charming manner. Nerilla couldn't help but wonder if he oozed confidence… She snapped herself out of it and thought of Gabriel.

Fuck Hector and his smooth appeal; Gabriel was her one and only man. She had to stay focused. Playing around with Hector was mixing business with pleasure and she saved that sort of stuff for Gabriel…

"Your best crossroad demon, I gather." She said and his smile remained. "Obedient and eager to please?" she added and his smiled gracefully transformed into a slight grin. "Nothing out of the ordinary?" she asked and the darkness in his eyes brewed as if trying to entrance her.

Fuck this guy was good, but Gabriel was better.

"A little headstrong." He replied and now it was her turn to grin.

Before she had summoned him, she had gone looking through the deals that Stephanie had made. Regardless that Hector was the one in charge of crossroad demons, all deals had to be filed here for Crowley's eyes only and those that worked with him.

Nerilla had pulled out a contract that Stephanie had sighed and compared it to the letter given to Kelley mysteriously.

She placed both the contract and the letter on the desk for Hector to see and waited for his reaction, watching him with an entrancing glimmer of her own. His smile faltered and when he met her eyes, they were cold. Where was that smooth confidence now?

"You sure about that?" Nerilla asked and gave a grin of her own. "It seems there has been quite a lot of trouble stirring up in the crossroads department." She added and, at that moment, he seemed a little irritated. "We have cause for concern, Hector. A crossroad demon tried to offer deals to Satanists which we all know isn't doing the job properly. But it gets better, that demon threatened us with a rebellion and out of the blue, we have your star player writing that letter and getting the new kid on the block to charm Gavin MacLeod." She said and then her grin turned dark, irritating Hector even more. "I trust you know who he is." She added and his eyes burned with a cold rage.

"Crowley's son." He said and only then did he acknowledge Kelley standing there silently. Nerilla smiled darkly and sat back in the chair. She could mention how that pissed Crowley off, but she was certain Hector had read between the lines.

"It's enough to open an investigation into the Crossroad Department. And we both know you wouldn't be an exception." Nerilla said with dark mischief written all over her face as she grinned. "So, help me out, Hector." She began, turning down the dark glimmer in her eyes. "Did you know about anything of this?" she asked and his jaw clenched. Either he did know and simply getting enraged that he got caught or he didn't and rather not admit it because he was _supposed to always know_ what was going on.

That was a gunshot to the ego.

Nerilla waited patiently for a response, oozing confidence in the process as she smiled sweetly.


	35. Dirty Paws

Sorry if Keara hadn't been seen for a while. Kid has to sleep. But here's to make up for it.

The song here is "Dirty Paws" by Of Monsters and Men

 **Dirty Paws**

Although her father tucked her into bed and told her the story of the time he raised a batch of Hellhound pups and cared for them, she seemed restless. She thought about the pups and how when they got older, they were very loyal to her father. They wouldn't listen to any other crossroad demon.

Maybe it was the story or maybe it was the fact that she simply couldn't sleep, but Keara stirred in her bed as she was having a vivid dream. She was running around the mansion, but she was closer to the floor and her vision was slightly blurred around the edges and sharp as she focused on certain things.

She was running, but then would slow and watch around the corner, then proceed. She could hear footsteps and she could sense exactly where demons were standing. She could even sense who those demons were.

Just around a corner, she saw Nikolai leave the mansion with her father, but he was told to stay here and watch over her and her mother. He was still out of the mansion, but she wasn't certain if he'd come back inside. She was searching for him with her eyes, yet it didn't really feel like herself.

Come to think of it, running around the mansion didn't like herself either…

All of that didn't matter when she spotted Nikolai sitting outside of the mansion just to the right. He left the doors of the mansion wide open which was odd, but maybe he did that on purpose. Or maybe he forgot.

He sat on the ground and he was scratching his arm. Keara approached, although she still didn't feel like it was her moving. It didn't matter. She got a little closer to see him and then noticed what he was scratching specifically.

He was scratching the mark on his arm that made him awesome.

As he scratched, he clenched his jaw and she had never seen him do that. She had never seen him act that way or scratch at that mark. He didn't seem like himself and that made her stomach hurt. Her mother said it hurts when one worries. If that's true, than she was worried about Nikolai's scratching the mark that made him awesome.

At that moment, he quickly glanced over and stopped scratching, slowly looking more like himself. He relaxed his jaw and the wild look in his eyes cooled. Then, he smiled and she knew her Nikolai was fine.

"Hey Ginger." He said and held out his hand. "Come here girl." He added and Keara approached as she tried to ask why he had called her Ginger, but all that came out was a sort of growl.

She sat down next to him as he scratched her head. He stared deep into her eyes, his soft eyes becoming hard as if he was trying to recognize what was looking at him. Why was he doing that? Didn't he know it was his little Princess Cookie?

Keara tried to talk again and it was the same; she growled and the more she tried to talk, the more she growled and grunted like an animal. After a couple of seconds, Nikolai relaxed that look in his eyes and chuckled as he swung an arm around her.

"Haven't seen you so talkative before." He said and that angered Keara. What did that mean? "You better go stand by Keara's door; make sure that Gabriel stays in his chair." He added and it shocked Keara as if she got hit by a running Hellhound at its top speed.

What the Hell?

Keara bolted up in bed, breathing hard and clenching her blankets tightly. She looked down at her hands and her knuckles were stiff as she was trying to open her hands. Her hair was in her face and when she pushed it back, her face was wet.

She pushed back her blankets and pushed herself to the edge of her bed, judging the distance to the floor. She slowly slid off the bed and silently touched the warm floor with the points of her toes. She then placed all of her weight on her feet and glanced around her room for the pony that Nikolai won for her.

It was in the corner of the room and she walked over and picked it up, hugging it tightly; taking in Nikolai's scent. It smelled just like him although he hadn't held onto it for long at the amusement park.

She turned around and walked to her door, slowly turning the doorknob and slowly peering into the bright hallway. She looked to the right and saw nothing, then to the left where she saw Ginger trotting up to her. She sat by the door and looked up at her with a strange look in her eyes.

At the end of the corridor, Keara noticed a man rocking in a rocking chair, eating candy. Was that the man Nikolai was talking about? Then it dawned on her that she saw something odd in him. He didn't look like everyone else in Hell. This made him super suspicious.

She quietly stepped out into the hallway and stayed close to the wall, as if that made her invisible. She kept her eyes on him and was certain she could see a sort of soft glow, although she couldn't be sure.

Then, as she got closer, he seemed to have felt that he wasn't alone and he glanced at her, meeting her eyes dead on. Then, looking into his eyes, she felt like she had met him before, which was unsettling. He smiled and that smile broadened as she hid most of her face behind her pony.

"You must be Keara." He said and that voice was definitely familiar. She had met him before, but not like this. Was it in a dream?

"You're different." She said and he chuckled lightly as he nodded. If her dark eyes were reflecting her demonic side, he paid no attention. Wasn't he scared of her?

"So are you." He replied and she lowered her pony, frowning at him. How dare he! She was scary and different didn't begin to cover it!

"I'm special." She corrected and he laughed louder and glanced at her, smiling. It unsettled her and she hid behind her pony again. What was his problem? He was odd and he didn't belong in Hell. Why was he there and who allowed him in? Why would Nikolai let him in?

"I'm Gabriel." He said and then the name was very familiar with this face. At that moment, she knew exactly who he was and _what_ he was. Nikolai has mentioned his name and now it made sense. She had met him before… she just wasn't born yet.

"The angel." she said and then took a small step back as if that was some unexplainable instinctual move to protect herself. He gave her a small pouty lip, as if pretending to be offended, and held out a piece of candy, as if it was a peace offering.

"I'm a friend of your parents." He said and she couldn't help but give out a small chuckle as if to say "Yeah right!". He widened his eyes slightly as he chuckled, as if he was a little surprised by her reaction. Keara knew her mother didn't like him. She remembered that much. She may have been a fetus, but she felt her mother's emotions and she didn't trust this angel. And Daddy doesn't like angels. The only one that her father ever tolerated was an angel named Castiel because he was so gullible and was Dean Winchester's pet.

Keara looked at the piece of candy and it was very tempting. He didn't say anything and didn't move either; he simply waited for her to trust him.

Well, he was in Hell, not being attacked by her parents, Nikolai, Nerilla or Hellhounds. So, he must have had permission to be in her home…

"Is it strawberry?" she asked him and he glanced at it and back at her.

"Cherry." He replied and she shook her head.

"I want strawberry." She said and he grinned at her as he switched it with a strawberry candy. She approached slowly and once she was in arm's reach, she yanked it out of his hand and stepped back, quickly putting the candy in her mouth, keeping the plastic wrapping in her little hand.

Gabriel chuckled as if he took no offense that she didn't trust him any further than an arm's reach. As she looked into his eyes, there was a glimmer that she found was pretty close to that of a demon. It seemed he was mischievous enough not to be a boring angel. She smiled and lowered her pony.

"Thank you." She said and he smiled.

At that moment, Keara felt her mother's presence from the end of the hall behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at her mother who looked so pretty in a flowing black silk house coat wearing these pretty black slippers than looked more like flat shoes. Even in her pajamas, she looked graceful and powerful.

"Keara, what are you doing out of bed?" she asked and scowled as her daughter hid her face behind her pony. She glanced up at Gabriel who smiled at her innocently. She ignored him and knelt down in front of Keara, tenderly lowered the plush pony so she could get her daughter to look at her. "Can't sleep?" she asked and Keara shook her head.

"I had a bad dream." She said and dropped her pony to her feet so her mother could comfort her. She never had bad dreams, except for the ones where she was trying to catch stray kittens on the side of a highway on a dark and rainy night. Clara stroked her face with her warm hand and smiled softly. "I was running around the house, trying to find Nikolai. When I did, I saw him scratching his arm and when I tried talking to him, he kept calling me Ginger." She added with a slight frown.

Clara's smile faded a little as she looked above Keara's head to the angel behind who had stopped rocking in his chair. She looked back at her daughter and pushed her hair behind her little ear.

"Was he scratching something on his arm?" she asked and Keara nodded her head.

"The mark that makes him awesome." She replied and Clara's face wasn't soft, but she wasn't mad either. If anything, she looked a little worried. "It was a dream, right?" she asked, not understanding why her mother was so worried. Then she smiled, but it was sort of sad.

"No." she said and stroked Keara's face gently. "You were seeing through Ginger's eyes." she added and explained further so Keara would understand. "Really good demons can see through the eyes of Hellhounds. I did that once when I was pregnant with you, but I didn't just see; I controlled its actions." She concluded and Keara smiled, but then that meant that seeing Nikolai scratching his arm wasn't a dream and her smile faded.

"That's when Grandma got chassed out of Hell, right?" Keara asked and Clara smiled as she nodded.

"Did your father tell you that story?" she asked and Keara hid her smile behind her pony. But, her smiled faded as she thought about Nikolai. "Is Nikolai okay, Mommy?" she asked and her mother smiled encouragingly.

"I'll go see him while Gabriel tucks you back into bed." she said and Keara frowned.

"The angel?" she asked in a whisper and Clara fought a grin.

"He's nice and he's here to help. You're so special that you have too babysitters with awesome powers." She said and after a couple of seconds, Keara smiled and hid her face behind her pony as she blushed.

Clara kissed her forehead as Gabriel stepped up with a grin on his face, since Clara had just complemented him. She stood up and met his eyes, looking past the grin, knowing that he was worried about Nikolai just as much as her.

He looked down at Keara and gave a small smile, holding his hand out for her to take. Surprisingly, Keara took it with a smile as she dropped her pony to her side, walking to her room with Gabriel.

"Are you going to tell me a story?" she asked softly. "I like stories." She added and Clara smiled as she watched them disappear into Keara's room. She might not like Gabriel too much, but this moment changed that. She was starting to warm up to the Archangel.

If her daughter could in a matter of seconds, so could she.

Now she had to go see Nikolai and make sure the Mark of Cain wasn't affecting him like it did Dean Winchester or a rebellion of demons was the least of their problems.


	36. Second Chances

The song here is "Second Chances" by Imagine Dragons

 **Second Chances**

They all agreed that that was their plan; destroy all hybrids that Heaven and Hell had created to restore the balance to the world and return it to what it used to be. It was better than trying to rid the world of Hell. They all agreed that it was created for the purpose of having a balance. Micah made them see that. Thus, Hell would remain, but not the hybrids.

The Cambions tilted the world in Hell's favor and that unsettled the balance of the world; it was not acceptable. Micah assured them that this was the best way to fix their problems and if they killed the Cambions, the Nephilims were no exception.

He made notes of the hybrids and assigned a group of angels to each one.

The first cohort had Jane the Nephilim; quite a simple hybrid to destroy so when that was done, they could aid the second cohort in killing Clara, the Queen of Hell. They all knew she'd be their most difficult target, which is why Micah created a well thought-out plan. The third cohort would handle any interruptions while the first and second cohort overwhelmed her. She was strongest when pregnant, but that time was long gone. She could not fight so many angels.

The fourth cohort would target her child which would be easier, but still difficult. The fifth cohort would see to the interruptions and the sixth cohort would be searching for Jesse Turner. Micah was certain he was still alive and he was no exception.

There was also a seventh and eighth cohort as reinforcements if there be need for it.

Despite the fact that the angels were faithful that Micah's plan was flawless, he was certain that he needed some fail-proof assurance to his plan. He needed something powerful and that was the closest being to God. However, dealing with him would be complicated. On the other hand, he respected deals and he was an angel of honor, although his judgment and intentions haven't quite aligned harmoniously. It was a risk, but it was well worth it.

He had to try.

Micah walked down the corridors in Heaven that were silent; absent of any visitors. This was a part of Heaven that was best to forget because the angels there had done unspeakable things and had to atone for it and do so in repentance. These angels could not possibly be redeemed, however they could show their progress by accepting to aid the angels and possibly win their trust.

That's what Micah would be offering Metatron. If he did help them in killing the hybrids, the angels would see that he is progressing well in his repentance and they would eventually come to trust him. Then one day he just might be able to be a pillar of Heaven.

Micah approached the cells and stood in front of one and waited patiently. Metatron was lying against the far wall and once he opened his eyes, seemed slightly surprised to have a visitor. He pushed himself up and sluggishly sat up.

"Well, who do I have the pleasure of meeting?" he asked, sounding sincere but Micah knew better. Metatron was very bitter, especially with his own kind.

"I'm Micah." He said and Metatron grinned as if he was impressed, but it was nothing but mockery.

"Would you be the angel that I heard so much about?" he asked, still mockingly sounding impressed. He crossed his ankles and folded his hands on his lap with a wicked grin. He was cleverer than the angels gave him credit for. He was locked in a cell in a nearly abandoned section of Heaven and he still managed to know more than he let on.

However, Micah wasn't going to acknowledge that and sound surprised.

"I would be, yes." He replied with a serious facial expression that seemed to have caught Metatron off guard, but of course not completely. "I trust that you also heard the fiasco that took place some time ago." He added and Metatron simply stared at him with a twist of mischief in his eyes, but he gave a slight grin and nodded.

"I did." He added and Micah remained silent in order to see if he would confess what he knew, which he doubted. "Quite a lot you have on your plate." He added, not letting on how much he knew. It made Micah wonder just how much he really knew. Was this an act? Did he in fact know nothing and was hoping to get information?

"Indeed." Micah said, figuring out this little game. "The murdering of angels at the hands of rogues... It's a shame." He added and Metatron nodded his head.

"Heaven is in chaos. It's been like that for a long time." Metatron said. "Get use to it." he added and Micah wasn't sure if he was grinning or not. But one thing was certain; Metatron didn't really know.

"Yes, only I haven't told you the truth." Micah said and Metatron's expression was blank, but then he grinned wickedly.

"Good shot." He said, not hint of mockery. "We actually have a smart one here." He added and Micah grinned slightly. "Going to tell me the truth, then?" he asked and Micah crossed his arms over his chest.

"I doubt I can make a trustworthy and honorable deal with you." He replied, putting his plan into motion, hoping it would work as well as he hoped.


	37. Black Ice

The song here is "Black Ice" by AC/DC

 **Black Ice**

Crowley was very pissed off. The demons wanted him out? Fine, raise a little trouble. But go after his son? They were looking to get killed. Watching Kelley flirting with Gavin pissed him off and not because he didn't want his son to be happy. Yes, Kelley had been used to hurt Gavin, but someone had their eye on his son… and he was going to rip that eye out of its socket with his bare fingers.

Crowley made his way to the office where he knew Nerilla was looking into Stephanie. She was probably the one behind all of this, but he was certain this was more than just one annoyed demon looking to cause a little rage.

He opened the door to the office and Nerilla sat at Clara's desk with Kelley behind her looking like a Sergeant while a demon was obviously undergoing some interrogation. Judging by his body language, he wasn't thrilled but didn't have the leverage to act on his impulses to disrespect the Lieutenant.

Nerilla stood up immediately as Crowley walked in, but he waved her off and she sat back down. She had worked hard and deserved a break.

He stood beside Clara's desk and looked at the demon with his hands casually in his pockets. Ah, yes; Hector that was now the supervisor of the crossroad demons. He was a good business man, but he was egotistical. Some would argue that he was like Crowley, but he wasn't egotistical; he had the skills and the wits that earned him the rights to have an ego. Not only that, but he knew what he wanted and went for it. Demons like that earned the rights to climb the ranks and claim the throne. There's only one Crowley and Hector was just Hector.

"How goes it, Hector?" Crowley asked and the demon didn't meet his eyes. "Trouble in paradise?" he asked and only then did the demon clench his jaw.

"Right back at you." He replied and the corner of Crowley's lips twitched into a half grin.

"Touché, but it's your underling Stephanie causing problems." Crowley replied and then Hector looked up at him. "Care to explain?" he asked and he could see the disdain in Hector's eyes. The contempt wasn't that Crowley prodded; it was that the demon couldn't explain. He didn't know what Stephanie was doing.

"I didn't know." He finally replied, which sounded painful for him to admit, and Nerilla sat back in the chair like she was satisfied. "And I don't know where she is. She's not stupid; she knows how to hide." He added and Crowley gave a dark and sinister grin.

"And I know how to hunt." He replied and gave a slight nod to Nerilla. She stood up and glanced at Kelley over her shoulder, gesturing to the door.

"Thank you, Hector. This has been pleasant. We should do this again." she said and he rose, not looking thrilled. "My _Sergeant_ will open the door for you." She added and he looked at Kelley and then back at Nerilla as if he didn't appreciate losing a crossroad demon. "King and Queen's orders." She added and then Hector turned, leaving the room as he glanced at Kelley one last time.

She ignored him completely and when he was out, she closed the door and stood at attention as if waiting for orders.

"We'll send out a Hellhound to follow her trail." Crowley said and Nerilla nodded.

"Two more to drag her ass back?" she asked and he glanced at her and then nodded as if he liked the idea. "Be found guilty, then come to a jagged end, courtesy of Nikolai." She added and Crowley nodded again.

"See to it." he replied and Nerilla nodded, leaving the office with Kelley in toe.

With that taken care of, Crowley decided to keep a watchful eye on Hector. He was rattled and he'd now make it his personal business to know everything. What he wouldn't know is that a Hellhound would be Crowley's eyes and ears.

His son was safe and he'd soon find Stephanie and any other demons aiding her in this rebellion. They wanted to infuriate him? They succeeded; but it would be the death of them.


	38. Bleeding Me

The song here is "Bleeding Me" by Metallica

 **Bleeding Me**

Clara walked to the front door of the mansion and as she reached the door frame, Nikolai sat there so peacefully that it made her wonder if what Keara had seen really was a dream. He glanced up at her and smiled charmingly like usual.

She leaned in the doorway and gave him a grin.

"What's up?" he asked her and she stepped down and sat beside him, looking briefly at the Mark of Cain. It seemed fine like usual, but she could see a bit or redness and faint scratch marks. He had been scratching at the Mark like an irritating itch deep under his skin.

She met his eyes and he was masking it well. If it wasn't for Keara having seen him through Ginger's eyes, she wouldn't have thought something was wrong. How long had this been going on? He seemed perfectly fine.

"You look at me like I got stabbed with a blade of deadly Holy water." He said and she smiled with a hint of sadness as she took his hand. His charming smile faded and he looked vulnerable, like she had just broken that layer of ice to reveal the reflective water that he tried to conceal. His eyes looked slightly like those of a scared child and her heart ached for him.

"You going to tell me or do I have to ask?" Clara asked and he seemed speechless. Then he torn his hand away, tearing his eyes from her. She didn't have to see his expression to know that he felt shame. "It's something that weighs heavily. From what Crowley told me, it even got to Cain. Please talk to me; you know I'm here for you." She said and waited patiently for him to open up to her.

After some hesitance, Nikolai glanced at her and that vulnerability was still in his eyes, but there was a sharpness that wasn't typical for his behavior.

"It doesn't weigh heavily, Clara; it eats away at me like a scavenger on a carcass. It leaves me with a tick that I can't shake off. It started easy, but now there's an itch that I can't scratch and I know it's only a matter of time before I start hacking away at those around me." Nikolai said and the sharpness in his eyes turned cold. It felt like a different Nikolai.

"You're strong." She reassured him, but he shook his head.

"Being strong has nothing to do with it." he replied and looked at the red mark on his arm that was so much more than a symbol. It was another level of evil and it was so consuming. It terrified all and the one cursed with it was the most mortified because how much it affected them. "It fucks you up." He concluded, unable to use other words to describe it.

He met Clara's eyes and could see the worry. She had a reason to worry; he was just holding it together, but soon he wouldn't be able to. He'd be out of control and she'd have to put him down like a sick dog. The only problem was that the mark doesn't allow the bearer to die. He'd have to pass it on and he knew the vicious cycle would never end. It was a mark of misery and suffering.

"Keara came to see you through Ginger." Clara said and he was in disbelief, but then realized that weird shit happens in Hell every day. He smiled slightly, but then that meant Keara saw him. That shamed him more than the fact that he was falling apart. "She's worried, but she doesn't understand." She added and he looked away, thinking of the little sweetheart that thought he was a superhero.

"She's so smart." He said and Clara let out a soft laugh.

"Yes, she is." She replied and took his hand again, but this time she squeezed tightly as if the demon in her was agitated. When he glanced over at her, there was the aura of a Queen around her. It made him think of the Clara that first arrived in Hell. She had changed, but she was happy. Then, as he thought about it, Crowley changed too over the years: he was a proud father and a happy husband. Nerilla and Gabriel had changed too and it made Nikolai think that his change wasn't so bad.

Suddenly, he had a glimmer of hope that this Mark would not beat him.

"Keara cares deeply about you and she needs you." Clara said, looking off into the distance, that aura of a Queen glowing brightly in her eyes. "We all do." she added and Nikolai finally felt the relief of that nibbling sensation of the Mark. "Will you hurt Keara?" she asked and he nearly gasped at the idea.

When she met his eyes, she smirked at the stunned expression on his face.

"I'd never. I'd rather stab myself with the First Blade." He replied and she released his hand with a soft smile.

"Just checking. But whenever the Mark gets to be too much, think of Keara." She replied and looked at him with a slight grin. "Can you commit suicide with the First Blade?" she asked and he chuckled.

"I doubt it. Fucker would probably just hurt like shit." He replied and she then stood up, chuckling herself.

"Now I might have a little job for you to do." she said and he raised an eyebrow at her in curiosity. "Summoning is a thing of the past. Crowley joked, but I'm sure he'll agree that cell phones are better. Take care of that for me. There's one for me, Crowley, Kelley, Gabriel and even one for Keara." She added and he grinned.

"She's two years old." He said and she waved him off.

"She's smart." Clara replied and before heading back into the mansion, she glanced at Nikolai over her shoulder with a slight expression of concern in her eyes. "And when that's all done, I want to give my number to Anne Cromwell." She concluded and he nodded his head.

"Wait," he said and she stopped and looked at him with an arched eyebrow. "Who's Kelley?" he asked and she smiled brightly with a dark gleam in her eyes.

"Our newly recruited Sergeant." Clara replied and with satisfaction, she went back into the mansion to check on Keara and Gabriel, leaving Nikolai just as clueless as he had been before he had asked the question.


	39. I Am Only One

**Finally starting writing again! I'm on chapter 70 now. I know, why are you only reading chapter 39? I like to review and edit until I'm satisfied. You're welcome ;)**

The song here is "I Am Only One" by We Are The Fallen

 **I Am Only One**

Gabriel held back the blankets as Keara jumped into bed and curled up with her plush pony, her head resting on her pillow that was as fluffy as a cloud. She smiled up at Gabriel and he sat on the edge of the bed, turned towards her so he could tell her a story.

"Will your story be about angels?" she asked and he grinned. "I never hear stories like that." She added and he was too tempted to let the opportunity pass.

"A long time ago," he said and with a flicker of his hand, the room filled with this sparkling mist that showed images. Keara's little face lit up as the images of clouds with a large gate danced around. Little floating angels with harps appeared and her brown eyes glowed with the reflection of his trickery that would illustrate his story. "My family and I were happy in Heaven. My brother Lucifer was the best. He taught me everything I know." He added and a bright and beautiful angel morphed from the sparkling mist and Keara's face lit up as she awed.

"He's so pretty." She whispered in amazement.

"We were close. Everyone looked up to him and he was pretty. My big brothers fought together in harmony and were great." Gabriel said and the images transformed into Lucifer fighting like a fierce warrior. "Then, one day Lucifer was given a special task from our Father, being the most trusted of us all. He was our Father's favorite needless to say. But, this task eventually changed him." The images changed and Lucifer wasn't so pretty. He lashed out at everyone and Keara's bright smile dimed.

Then, the image of Lucifer was being pushed out of Heaven by other angels, as if a large fight had broken out amongst the angels, and one was sticking out more than the others.

"Our big brother Michael forced him out, questioning his worth, and Lucifer fell from grace. My family was torn and has been dysfunctional ever since." He added and Keara looked sad as Lucifer fell from Heaven and the mist became dark.

Gabriel didn't dare tell her that the task Lucifer had been given was the Mark that eventually corrupted him. The last thing he wanted to do was worry her about Nikolai. The Mark wasn't so bad on a demon, but on an angel… it was catastrophic. He remembered all the fighting that had gone among his brothers and he couldn't take it. He didn't want to see his family fall apart, but it did and he wasn't there. He left his family and now he was the last one.

"Where did he go?" she asked and Gabriel wasn't sure how to answer that question.

Lucifer had demonized Lilith, making her the first demon and gave the Mark to Cain, telling him to create the Knights of Hell. Then, Lucifer was put into the Cage and Sam Winchester many years later released him, having being misled by Ruby into killing Lilith who was the last of the sixty-six seals that concealed Lucifer to his Cage.

Then, Sam got both Lucifer and Michael into the cage and that's a whole new story. His history was the important one here and he wasn't sure what to say to Keara that wouldn't piss off her parents.

Then, Gabriel looked at Keara and smiled.

"What has your parents told you about Hell?" he asked and she bit the corner of her lip as she was thinking. Then she smiled at him, recalling the story.

"Daddy said a fallen angel created Hell and demons, then got stuffed away, leaving him to take the throne." She said and Gabriel grinned, nodding head.

"Yeah, that sounds like something your Dad would say." He replied and then nodded again. "It's true. That's what happened to Lucifer." He added and she seemed a little sad, especially when Gabriel flicked his hand and the sparkling mist disappeared. "By the way, Heaven and angels don't look like that." He concluded and she let out a soft little giggle that revealed she was getting sleepy.

"I liked it anyway." She said and then yawned. "But it's sad that Lucifer ended up being locked away." She added and Gabriel nodded his head. Yes it was sad, but it was better than to leave him roam around. He wasn't the same Lucifer that Gabriel remembered; he had died long ago.

"But things happen for a reason." He replied, pushing his thoughts aside, and she looked at him with those big brown sleepy eyes. He grinned and resisted the urge to pick her up in his arms. "If all of that hadn't happened, there might not have been a Hell or any demons." He concluded and she yawned again and rubbed her eyes.

"And no Mommy and Daddy." She said and closed her eyes as she let herself go limp in her big soft bed.

"Exactly." He said and leaned in, giving her a soft kiss on her forehead. "Sweet dreams, Strawberry." He added and as he looked at her, he couldn't resist the thought that she was simply beautiful. She was so precious and protecting her now seemed more than just a simple desire. It felt so much deeper than that.

Maybe it was the fact that Clara was angry that he didn't do more to protect her when she was a child. She was angry that he had left her with her mother who never loved her. Looking at Keara, it was possible that he felt like he owed Clara.

He stood up slowly and silently as to not wake her and when he opened the door, Clara was just coming back. He stepped into the hallway, leaving the door open for her, knowing she'd want to see her sleeping baby. She stared blankly at him and stood in the doorframe as she checked on Keara. She quietly closed the door and turned to him, only then giving him a slight smile.

"Thank you." She said and he smiled in return.

"It's a pleasure." He replied and placed his hands in his pockets. "She's adorable." He added and Clara beamed like a proud mother.

"She likes you." She said and Gabriel grinned and had a mischievous glistening expression in his eyes.

"I'm very likeable." He said and Clara actually let out a soft laugh.

"Yeah, but she still prefers Nikolai." She said with a dark grin. But then, the mood changed and Gabriel knew she was still slightly worried about Nikolai even if she didn't want it to show.

"How is he?" he asked and she met his eyes, giving a soft smile.

"He's strong and Keara means the world to him. I have no doubt that the two of you are capable of protecting her against a rebellion and an eradication of hybrids." She replied and although she was the powerful Cambion Queen of Hell, Gabriel could see the stress in her eyes. Like any mother, she worried about the safety of her child and, obviously, about Crowley as well.

"You're a lucky girl; the Knight of Hell and the Awesome Archangel both here to help." He said with a grin, hoping to lift her spirits. She let out another soft laugh and walked back to the master bedroom, leaving him to return to his rocking chair.

Best of all, Clara was starting to like him.


	40. Welcome to My Nightmare

The song here is "Welcome to My Nightmare" by Alice Cooper

 **Welcome to My Nightmare**

He had sworn that he was trustworthy and that he respected an honorable deal. After all these years, he just wanted to be treated properly, with the respect he deserved. To humor him, Micah agreed knowing that if he gave Metatron what he wanted, he would return the favor and not try to double cross him.

He had told the Scribe of God all about the hybrids. He was especially interested in hearing that Hell had two Cambions; a mother and daughter, Queen and Princess of Hell. There was an expression in his eyes that Micah couldn't understand.

"Their range in power?" Metatron asked and Micah would have hesitated out of annoyance, but he had to play the part. If Metatron was to aide them, he had to know what they were.

"Incredibly powerful." he replied and told Metatron about the day the Queen of Hell gave birth to her daughter. As the angels descended to attack, she killed them all without being at the location to confront them. Together, mother and daughter were the most powerful weapons the angels had ever seen. No force in Heaven _and_ on Earth could compare to the power that Hell possessed.

And no one dared mention it, but yes, power that Crowley possessed. The first Cambion was very loyal to him and the other, they created. If Crowley desired to destroy Heaven and Earth, both Cambions would probably grant him that wish.

Then, Metatron had that look in his eyes again. It bothered Micah and part of him wondered if Metatron could be trusted.

"You come to me, thinking that I'm an equal match." Metatron said, as if he was quite certain, but wanted Micah to confirm his suspicion.

He wasn't certain what to say. He couldn't deny it because, essentially, that was the truth. Metatron was the strongest angel and he was very knowledgeable. In order to restore balance to the Universe, he needed Metatron for that very reason.

"You could say that." Micah said and Metatron grinned; mischief written all over his face. He figured no matter his reply, the angel in the cell knew he was valuable for his strength and knowledge.

He stood up and approached the bars of his cell, the strange look in his eyes seeming to intensify. He gripped the bars, his hands tightening around the steel and Micah knew he desired to be free more than anything. The question was, would be help and not betray the angels again?

"Does that power threaten you?" Metatron asked and Micah frowned.

He had just explained what had occurred and it was obvious to see why the Cambions were a horrifying threat. If Heaven was to destroy them, they would be safe. However, the balance would not yet be proper; thus killing the Nephilim as well.

Was none of that clear?

Metatron chuckled as he stared at Micah's frown and lack of response.

"Of course it does." Metatron said with a grin. "Hell had become more powerful than Heaven and that bruises your ego." He added and Micah frowned yet again, this time annoyed.

"All hybrids are abominations and should be destroyed. Once that is done, everything will align like it was created so long ago." Micah replied and Metatron gave a saddened smile as well as a slight nod.

"Yes, Heaven had the upper hand with the power of God and His knowledge. Yet one could argue that we were once more powerful than Hell." Metatron said and looked at Micah with this expression, as if daring him to think it over. "What exactly is the balance?" he asked and Micah frowned. This prisoner was forcing doubt upon him. "The humans were always pitiful and it's only with the hunters that they're gaining a little power, but Heaven and Hell are still, and always will be, greater than Earth. Heaven is supposed to be powerful, but Hell takes what it wants." He added, talking so fast that Micah could barely keep up. When Metatron paused, he had to think it over and see where he was going with this.

"Your point?" Micah asked and Metatron sighed.

"So much for a smart one." He mumbled and leaned closer, his face now between two bars. "There never was a balance." He concluded and Micah frowned, unwilling to accept that statement.

"They have hybrids that tilt the Universe in their favor; weapons that are no match for anything we could ever possess or create. It must be put to a stop. I do not care if Hell is greater based on their greed and their pride. They may do so without hybrids." Micah replied and Metatron looked at him, his expression seeming blank, but he was difficult to read.

"You mean as long as they set their sights on the humans." Metatron said and Micah continued to frown in silence. "And you're just envious that they have powerful hybrids. If it wasn't for that, you really wouldn't care. I mean, c'mon –" Metatron said and Micah could no longer remain silent.

"They killed our kind, Metatron." he snapped and the angel pulled away from the bars, as if he was enjoying this bit of anger.

"This is personal." Metatron said and Micah ignored him.

"They did not wage war and they have no interest. They simply kill as if we were the threat." he added and Metatron gave a small grin.

"You were." He said and Micah balled his hands into fists, his tolerance now disappearing. Part of him was thinking that he'd be better off to leave Metatron in his cell. "They know we have nothing to bring to war. Even our Nephilim isn't powerful. But if you do kill the Cambions, which I doubt, Hell will wage a war and then you'll regret it." Metatron concluded and waited for Micah's reply.

He hadn't expected Metatron to tell him that his plan would be unsuccessful. He spoke his mind, forcing Micah to think it through and consider things he hadn't cared to consider. Now he wondered if Metatron was right.

At that moment, Metatron clapped his hands and rubbed them together.

"But, like you said; I'm an equal match and you came to me knowing I'm the only thing you got at killing those hybrids." He said with a smile and Micah was confused. "I'll help, but only because cross-breeding is highly unacceptable and because, without me, your idea really is suicidal." He concluded and that was the response, more or less, that Micah had expected.

"Do we have a deal?" Micah asked and Metatron gave a grin. "Will you help us in destroying all hybrids?" he asked and his grin only broadened.

"And what do I get out of it?" he asked and Micah's lips twitched as if he was trying to grin as well.

"You said it yourself that hybrids aren't acceptable." He replied and Metatron waved it off.

"Killing the Cambions is personal. You have history with them, don't you?" Metatron asked and Micah frowned, shaking his head.

"I've already told you –" he began, but Metatron was persistant.

"I love stories. Tell me your story and I'll help." He said and his eyes took on that strange expression. Micah stared at him, denying what Metatron had said about this being personal. However, if it was all Metatron wanted in return… than he shall tell him his so-called story.

"I have met the Queen of Hell many years ago." Micah said and Metatron grinned. "She was frequently meeting this human and I convinced him let me in, to possess him. He cared so much for her, but sensed she was distant despite the fact she enjoyed his company. He believed I could help.

"My only interest was to get closer to her without notifying her of my presence. She placed an angel ward in her apartment. She was always alert of anything that wasn't human.

"On the night that I tried to confront her, she unleashed her power, nearly killing her human companion. She was less powerful then, but still greater than anything we had ever seen. I had failed only due to the human casting me out." Micah said and Metatron's grin grew wicked.

"You tried to kill her." he said and Micah nodded. Metatron's expression was difficult to read, but he extended his hand through the bars. "We got ourselves a deal." He concluded and Micah hesitated only because he wasn't certain what to make of Metatron's wicked grin.

However, they shook hands and the honorable deal was made. All hybrids would be destroyed and his belief that this would restore the balance remained strong, despite the doubt Metatron tried to instill.

 **You remember the story Clara told Nikolai back in "Take a Howl at That Moon"(chapter 47), the doctor (Steven) that Clara had dated way back and who she had met in the search for a good hospital… the boy that wanted to propose to her when they had been together for seven months and then, boom, an angel surfaced from within him and tried to kill her?**

 **Micah was that angel! TADA!**

 **Tell me I'm brilliant – just kidding…**


	41. Breathe

The song here is "Breathe" by Of Verona

 **Breathe**

Roxanne had made tea and a tray of various crackers, cheeses and meats. However, Gadreel and Anne weren't in any mood to have something to eat. They were worried that the angels would eventually find out about their baby and come to destroy him or her.

Castiel wanted to reassure them, but Roxanne lifted her hand as if to tell him to stop; right now they needed to process this and when they're ready, they can come up with a plan to protect the baby.

He knew that Gabriel could help, now that he knew he was alive, but he couldn't contact him just yet. He had to let Anne and Gadreel comfort each other, as Roxanne suggested.

Time seemed to slow down, making his guilt turn to pain within him. He had finally decided what he wanted to do in all of this and that was to help save the hybrids. However, he just sat there and watched Gadreel comfort Anne as she cried silently, despite her attempts to be brave. He glanced at Roxanne and felt helpless.

At that moment, he could hear low murmurs and he knew he was picking up on the angels. He focused on hearing them. It took a few seconds, but he was able to make out what they were saying. Micah had found some help in assuring his success with his plans of destroying the hybrids. The angels were certain, but he convinced them that this particular angel could be trusted this one time.

At first, Castiel wasn't sure what this meant, by then a creeping suspicion slithered closer into his mind. He listened closely and Micah had let the particular angel make an introduction. Castiel felt horrified and he knew this messed up situation took a terrible turn for the worse.

Metatron had spoken and promised that he was the only equal match to this Queen of Hell and he could rid the world of hybrids. He didn't say it, but Castiel knew it was his way of gaining their trust once again. He knew it would end badly.

As he snapped out of it and looked at Gadreel and Anne, he knew it was more important to speak than to let them think it through.

"We must leave." he said and Roxanne shot him a cold glare, but looking him in the eyes, her glare softened as if she could hear those celestial voices herself.

Gadreel glared at Castiel, but it was more a glower of pain than anger. Anne glanced over and a tear fell down her cheek, making Castiel ball his hands into fists tightly in a desire to prevent Metatron from hurting anyone, especially Anne and her baby.

"The angels have released Metatron." he said and then Gadreel's glare vanished into disbelief, his eyes saddened. His face paled and he held onto Anne tighter as if just the mention of his name threatened to take her from him. "I assure you he does not know of your child and he will not as long as I live." He added and the room filled with a heavy silence.

Roxanne took their hands and gave an encouraging smile.

"Everything will be alright. That I know." She said and glanced at Castiel with a slight nod, as if telling him to take charge.

"We will return to your home. We and your mother will pack necessities and we will return to the Men of Letters' bunker." Castiel said and he wasn't certain, but he thought that maybe that offered some relief to the frightened parents-to-be. "Sam and Dean will help." He promised and it seemed to offer some reassurance that they wouldn't be alone in this horrifying situation.

Anne nodded, accepting this plan and Gadreel stood up, helping her to get onto her feet. If going to the Men of Letters offered her some relief, it did the same for him; as long as she was happy and safe. His arms stayed around her, as if he was trying to hold his child. At that moment, Roxanne quickly began making a doggie bag for them and even poured some tea into traveling mugs she grabbed from the kitchen.

"Oh, that's not necessary." Anne said weakly, sounding as if all the energy had been drained out of her. Roxanne looked at her and gave a small grin.

"Trust me, honey; you're eating for two and you need energy. Tea will do you good too." She said and there was no arguing with her. Roxanne was insisting that she have something to eat despite her lack of appetite. "You can keep the traveling mugs or returning them; I don't mind. I've got plenty, so don't worry about it." she added and gave them both long warm hugs.

When she released them, the concerned couple went out to the car slowly and as soon as they were out of the door, Roxanne turned to Castiel and her eyes were full of fear. She gripped his arms tightly and he immediately knew something horrible would happen.

"Metatron will find out about their baby. You have to make sure he never gets to them." She said and Castiel quickly voiced his plan to her, as if hoping she would say that that would work.

"Gabriel is the last Archangel, he could help." He said and she nodded. He didn't know if that was her confirmation that it was a good idea or that she was just eager to have more protection for Anne and her baby.

"Make sure you also contact her family." She said and Castiel frowned in confusion, but then wondered if she was talking about Clara. "He'll be a handful. He may be working with the angels, but I don't see that going well." She added and he could tell that she didn't fully understand what she had seen. But he did. He knew Metatron; he couldn't be trusted.

"Will you be alright?" he asked her and she was so full of fear that for a second, she didn't seem to comprehend his question. Then she gave a small smile and waved her hand. He wondered if she knew about his first encounter with a psychic, Pamela Barnes. Is that why she wasn't too friendly with him? Or was he just being slightly paranoid?

"Worry about Anne and the baby." She replied and then ushered him away, as if telling him not to keep the worried couple waiting or their worry would only increase.


	42. Feel Like Makin' Love

The song here is "Feel Like Makin' Love" by Bad Company

 **Feel Like Makin' Love**

Crowley walked back into the master bedroom and found Clara asleep in their bed. He couldn't blame her. She had claimed that she didn't need as much sleep, not like their daughter, but the human in her eventually caught up and demanded sleep.

He sat on the edge of their bed and stroked her cheek. She was still the most beautiful creature his eyes ever had the pleasure of lingering on, despite the fact that she was snoring a little. She was sleeping so deeply that not even an atomic bomb could wake her.

Unfortunately in this case where she needed sleep, the demon in her was always stronger and she could always sense him. As he tenderly pushed the hair out of her face, her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him, dazed.

"Go back to sleep." He told her, but she smacked his hand away and grunted. Regardless of being half asleep, she could smack pretty hard.

"Don't give me orders." She said and propped herself up on her arm as she moved onto her side. "How are things?" she asked him and then it was his turn to grunt. He laid back and swung his legs onto the bed, crossing one ankle over the over. She didn't have to move to lie close to him and that told her he was inviting her to cuddle up against him. What a baby.

She lowered her upper body and eased into him as he wrapped his arm around her. She rested her head on his chest as she brought up a leg and rested it on his thigh. He exhaled deeply, as if satisfied and she grazed her hand across his chest, closing her eyes and feeling their demon essences stirring in synchronization.

"That bad?" She replied and he rubbed her elbow with his thumb as he grunted again.

"Bad is putting it mildly." He replied and then paused. "They set their beady little eyes on Gavin and used a naïve hatchling to snatch him, remember?" he added and turned his head to press his lips against Clara's head. All of his frustrations seemed to fade away as Clara remained so close to him; feeling her very shape and curve against his vessel and taking in her sweet scent made his anger simmer to nothing.

"I have a hunch that this rebellion is going to be smarter than the last." She said softly as he kissed her head. He closed his eyes and all he wanted to do was focus on her; her touch, her scent, her voice…

He was a devious creature of the lowest level that wasn't designed to love and to be loved. His soul had been twisted and torn to only desire inflicting agony on others and to crave power. But now, loving Clara was all he did and wanted to do.

As her heart pounded softly against his vessel, that was the closest thing to being human as Crowley could get. Being nearly cured of his demonization, thanks to the Winchesters, was cutting it close, but that wore off with time. This, Clara's heart beat, was forever.

"Crowley?" she asked and he snapped out of it and gave a soft grunt. "Are you listening to me?" she asked and he curled his lips into a grin.

"Yes, dear." He replied, having been listening to the rhythm of her heart. Thus, his response was not a lie.

She glanced up at him and arched an eyebrow, knowing that he didn't hear what she had said. However, she sighed and rested her head against his chest again.

"Our daughter was seeing through Ginger's eyes during her sleep." She said and he opened his eyes and glanced down at her.

"Has she?" he asked, quite proud of his daughter's developing talents.

"She saw Nikolai scratching at the Mark of Cain." Clara added and Crowley was silent for a couple of seconds and she continued, knowing that he was just as concerned as she had been. "I spoke with him and I'm worried. He seems edgy but he hides it well." She added and then she tensed up just enough for Crowley to notice. He began to rub her side down to her hip as if to rub out the tension. "Our daughter saw him and I never did." She concluded and Crowley kissed her head once more.

"You said it best, Love; he hides it well. Keara only noticed because he was alone; his guard was down." He replied and Clara knew he was right, but she was disappointed in herself. Nikolai was always around them and they hadn't seen it. Was it that they were just too close to see or did they just not care enough? "Darling, stop beating yourself." He said, as if he knew what she was thinking.

"Easier said than done." She replied and buried her face into him, her turn to take in his scent. "But if he does have to let loose, he can do it on the rebellion." She added and Crowley grinned as he kissed her head again.

"That's my girl." He said and remained still as she began to doze off. This time, he didn't want to wake her because it wasn't just exhaustion that pulled her so deeply into sleep, but stress. He sometimes forgot how heavy the crown could be, but they also had a daughter to raise and Clara did all of it.

Crowley kissed her head one last time, as if trying to chase away the stress and promising that he would help her out more.


	43. Kick It Out

The song here is "Kick It Out" by Heart

 **Kick It Out**

She had been asleep for a while, but when she woke up again, she was full of energy. She crawled out of bed and looked through her closet for a cute little dress to wear. She pushed outfits and dresses back, wanting something she hadn't worn yet. Then, she pulled out an off-white dress with lace collar and small elegant bubble sleeves. At the waist was a silky belt of the same color with a beautiful flower of the same color as well. The skirt of the dress came up above the knees and was frilly, moving slowly as she swung it around. The outfit was complete with a pretty off-white flower to be put into her hair above a bun, a little off to the side, and the best were the pretty brown cowboy boots.

Her mother fell in love with the outfit and when Keara had tried it on for the first time, her mother beamed and wasted no time in taking pictures.

Keara held it up to her as she glanced at herself in the mirror. She smiled and quickly changed into the dress, throwing her pajamas behind her. She snapped her fingers, to use her magic like her mother did, and her hair was put into a pretty bun. She placed the hair accessory into her bun and when she slipped into her cowboy boots, she modeled in front of the mirror like she had when her mother was taking pictures.

Keara clapped her hands and jumped around, dancing in her dress.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door and she knew who it was. She smiled as she turned around and then stood in the center of her room, just looking pretty.

"Come in." she said and the door opened, Nikolai stepping in and then smiling at her. He stopped and just looked at her, and then he let out a small laugh as he looked down at his feet. When he did look back up at her, her little heart did a flip; his eyes sparkled even if he tried not to show it.

"Dressed for a special occasion?" he asked as he closed the door behind him. He didn't usually do that, but she soon knew why; Gabriel was in the hallway, as if he wanted to see her too. Did Nikolai want to have her all to himself? She giggled and he glanced at her, as if he didn't know what was so funny.

"Just wanted to look pretty." She replied as she walked up to him, slipping her hand into his and smiling up at him. He gently pinched her cheek as he returned the smile.

"You're always pretty." He said and she quickly buried her face into his side as she wrapped both arms around him in a hug. Then, as quickly as she hugged him, she released him and grabbed the doorknob, opening it and leaning her head out, smiling at Gabriel who was leaning against the wall, unwrapping a piece of candy.

When he saw her, he grinned and that grin broadened when she held out her hand with a grin of her own.

He straightened out and approached, placing a strawberry flavored candy in her hand. She smiled up at him and popped back into her room, leaving the door opened for Gabriel. When he stepped in, Nikolai glanced at him with a serious expression, as if he wasn't thrilled that he was allowed in. However, Gabriel maintained that grin of his as if to laugh at Nikolai.

"So, what game should we play?" she asked and Nikolai let out a harsh laugh as he pointed at Gabriel. Keara arched an eyebrow and titled her head at him.

"He gets to play too?" he asked and she maintained her expression of confusion.

"Yes." She said and then frowned at him. "Don't be rude." She added and then turned to look at her toys. Should they have a tea party? Play with dolls? Play board games? They would probably prefer board games.

Keara walked over to the side of her bed and got down onto her knees to pull out some board games from under her bed. She carried them over and placed them out on the small table, lifting them one at a time to the Knight and the Archangel.

"Trouble?" she asked and Gabriel grinned while Nikolai seemed bored, probably thinking of mean things to say to Gabriel. "Sorry?" she asked and the reactions didn't change. "Monopoly?" she asked and then Gabriel arched an eyebrow at her.

"Aren't you too young for that game?" he asked and Nikolai laughed.

"You forgot who her father is." He said and then Gabriel smirked at him and then glanced back at Keara. "She's very good at Monopoly. Too good." Nikolai added and she beamed, as if taking this as their agreement to playing Monopoly.

She began setting up the game and they sat down at the table, helping her to sort out all the pieces. They quickly began with Nikolai dealing the money. They let Keara begin and Nikolai glanced at Gabriel with a dark glimmer in his eyes.

"So, the angels are up to no good, once again?" he asked and Gabriel, meeting his eyes, nodded with a weak smirk. "What are they up to, exactly?" he asked and Gabriel glanced at Keara, as if telling Nikolai that he'd rather not discuss it in front of her. She passed the dices off to Nikolai and he rolled, moving his little character.

"They just recruited Metatron." Gabriel replied and Keara titled her head as she looked at Gabriel. Nikolai gave him the dices and he rolled them, moving his piece.

"Who's Metatron?" she asked innocently.

"A jerk." Both Gabriel and Nikolai replied simultaneously. She smiled and returned to the game, content with their answer.

"Even with him, they won't get far." Nikolai said and Gabriel glanced at him with an odd expression in his eyes.

"But he will cause trouble." Gabriel replied.

Despite the fact that they were conversing, they were playing the game. Keara didn't complain that their focus wasn't on the game and she didn't seem curious to know exactly what they were talking about. She would simply tug on Nikolai's sleeve if she wanted to buy a property or when one of them landed on her property.

"Not for us, thankfully; we'll already have our hands full." Nikolai said and Gabriel nodded in agreement, then remained still as a grin slowly broke out on his face. Nikolai glanced at him and arched an eyebrow. When Gabriel noticed him, he smirked. "Judging by the stupid look on your face, I'd say someone was calling you." He said and Gabriel's smirk broadened.

"You're leaving?" Keara asked with a sad expression and Gabriel gave her a soft smile.

"An old friend wants to see me, but I'll be right back in time to get my money back." he said and waited until she gave a smile, then vanished; the sound of his wings echoing in her room. She looked at the empty chair and then glanced at Nikolai, looking a little sad.

He glanced down at the game and after a couple of seconds, glanced at her with a raised eyebrow.

"You cheat, don't you?" he asked her, having noticed that him and Gabriel nearly lost all their money, that she owned all the good properties, had hotels on every single one of them, had all the railroads as well as the "Get out of jail" card which would have been useful to him, since he was in jail at the moment. Not to forget that she also had a lot of money, too much for a two year old to count, but if he was to ask her, she'd tell him the exact amount. How did she manage to get so much in so little time?

They only had been playing for a short while and she was already winning. Sure, him and Gabriel weren't paying that much attention to the game, but how was she winning? The sad part is that every time he played Monopoly with her, she won.

"Notice how all losers say that?" Keara asked and he narrowed his eyes at her, but couldn't help laughing as he was unable to hold it in. "Have you forgotten who my father is?" she asked and he laughed again, pulling her chair closer to him so he could kiss her forehead.

"No, Cookie; you remind me every time." he replied with a grin. Keara pushed him away, her cheeks blushing to the shade of a soft pink. He had never done that to her, not that she would complain, but it was strange.

"I'm hungry." She said and pushed her chair back, ready to leave her room in the search for food. Nikolai got up and followed her out with a half smile on his face. She was everything to him.


	44. Anonymous

The song here is "Anonymous" by Three Days Grace

 **Anonymous**

It was very silent in the car which went well with the heavy awkward feeling hanging over them. Castiel glanced at Anne and Gadreel, knowing they were still in shock. It was a lot for them to take in during such a short period.

They had learnt that the angels intended on destroying all hybrids and that they have placed their trust in Metatron. Anne probably didn't know who he was, but she probably did understand how grave this has become. Then, if only they knew, at some point Metatron will learn of their baby being a Nephilim… He knew he couldn't tell them now; he wasn't even certain if he could ever tell them. It would break them and they needed all the strength they could manage.

Anne had called her mother and had explained everything. She began to cry and it was clear to Castiel that her mother was just as upset, but judging from Anne's silence, they were both trying to fight it and remain strong. Anne had cleared her throat and then asked that her mother start packing everything that they will need. Her mother must have asked for specifics because Anne began listing various items from her home.

Castiel followed the list and couldn't keep track of everything she had said. Was she leaving anything behind? Did she believe there was no going back home? It worried him, but he decided to say nothing, not wanting to upset her.

He glanced at Gadreel who was silent and who drove with ease, but his eyes were full of concern. It was so unnerving that Castiel didn't recognize those eyes, not that he could blame him. His baby had somehow become a Nephilim and now the angels wanted to exterminate the hybrids like they were cockroaches. He believed his baby was off the radar, but he would lose his mind if he knew that eventually Metatron would know.

Once Anne ended her call with her mother, she sighed. Castiel could sense she was terrified, but Gadreel took hold of her hand and she seemed to calm herself. It seemed to have helped him as well.

The ride back to their home was just that: barely keeping calm.

Once they were inside the bookstore that Anne's mother had closed until further notice with apologies to the inconvenience, she hugged her daughter like it might be her last. Anne couldn't maintain that calmness and cried in her mother's arms.

Gadreel stood next to them and whispered that he would begin packing the car. Castiel followed him in order to give Anne and her mother some privacy and he thought of contacting Gabriel, once he announced it to Gadreel.

They were just stepping into the "Employees Only" door and as soon as Castiel closed it behind him, he quickly told Gadreel of his plan.

"Gabriel could help. Contrary to belief, he's alive." He said and Gadreel stopped and turned to look at his friend. The look on his face was exasperation. Castiel considered saying no more, but he had to try. "Please let me call him." he added and before he could say more, Gadreel approached and this hard expression came over his face.

"I appreciate the concern, but his presence will only alert the angels and they'll come and investigate." He said and Castiel titled his head slightly and softened his eyes.

"Gabriel is highly skilled at hiding. He faked his death twice and no one was the wiser." He replied, trying to convince Gadreel, but he was really convincing himself. He hadn't thought that Gabriel's presence might tip Metatron off. He felt bad, but he still believed it was a good idea.

As if sensing that Castiel really wanted to do this for them, Gadreel clenched his jaw and glanced away.

"If you must, do it away from here." He said and turned, going upstairs to collect their necessities. Castiel felt guilty for upsetting him, but he knew contacting Gabriel was the right thing to do.

As Gadreel had instructed, he felt the bookstore and appeared in the middle of forest miles away from the town where Anne and Gadreel's bookstore was located. He couldn't summon Gabriel, for that required his vessel, but he could pray directly to him without the angels hearing him. It took a great deal of concentration, but it worked.

Within seconds, a familiar voice broke through the silence behind Castiel.

"I hope you realize the seriousness of your interruption of my time with a very beautiful young lady." Gabriel said and Castiel turned around to face him, ignoring his comment. It was just like him to fool around when all is in chaos.

"I need your help. Gadreel is –" Castiel began after sighing, knowing he had a lot to explain before he could get to his request. However, Gabriel lifted up his hand and grinned mischievously.

"I know about our dear friend Gadreel." He said and Castiel frowned in confusion. "He's human; got himself a girl." He added and then arched his eyebrow like he usually did when the subject took a possible sexual turn.

"You knew?" Castiel asked and Gabriel let out a small laugh.

"You're surprised?" he asked and then approached. "Nothing gets past me." he added and then Castiel's face became serious.

"Him and Anne are having a baby and it is a Nephilim." He said and watched as Gabriel's expression remained, then turned to confusion.

"Impossible." He said and Castiel nodded his head.

"Gadreel saw her heal a wound and a psychic friend of theirs has confirmed it." he replied and Gabriel continued to watch him, uncertain of what to make of this. Then, he seemed somewhat impressed and the mischief returned to his face.

"Well, he's a 'weird' magnet; what can I say?" he said and Castiel frowned in confusion.

"That's not nice." Castiel said and Gabriel waved him off.

"Save the school-ground politeness. Now I assume you didn't call me just to tell me something I already knew and something that I would have found out for myself." He replied and Castiel narrowed his eyes as if he couldn't understand this level of arrogance. However, he ignored it.

"The angels are planning –" he began, but Gabriel cut him off.

"To destroy all hybrids with Metatron. And since Gadreel's kid is a Nephilim, you're asking me to help?" Gabriel asked and Castiel was surprised that he already knew this, but didn't know that Gadreel's child was a hybrid.

"Yes." He said and seemed shocked. "You knew all of this and never said a word?" he added and before he could make another sound, Gabriel continued.

"I've got my hands full." He replied and Castiel frowned, not impressed that fooling around with a young woman was more important than protecting Gadreel's child. His expression revealed his anger and Gabriel smirked at him. "I've already offered my services to Clara." He added and Castiel frowned in confusion.

"That's the young lady who –?" he began but Gabriel cut him off again, nearly laughing at the idea that Castiel was picturing him sleeping with Clara. Boy, can Castiel ever be so literal at times.

"No. It's not important. I'm helping Clara and her daughter." He replied, staring intensely at Castiel as if waiting for the light bulb to appear in his friend's mind. When Castiel's face sort of became blank, Gabriel grinned. "The angels have their sights set on her and her daughter. They're just going to kill off the Nephilims as part of political bullshit." He added and went silent as if that explained everything.

However, that wasn't good enough for Castiel.

"What can you do?" he asked and Gabriel's eyes narrowed as if he was thinking of something Castiel wouldn't quite like.

"First, they have to ward themselves against the angels. Second, if those douchebags ever do come knocking, Gadreel has to know something." He said and Castiel arched an eyebrow, not certain where this was going. "When Anne died, an angel resurrected her, right?" he asked and Castiel simply nodded. "Well that angel just so happens to have been the same one Gadreel was impostoring when he broke out of prison." He added and then Castiel arched his eyebrow.

Despite the fact that the verb "impostoring" didn't exist, he couldn't comprehend what he was hearing.

"Ezekiel?" he asked and Gabriel grinned.

"He's the reason she's alive. Ironic, isn't it?" Gabriel asked and then his eyes became hard, as if all mischief was gone momentarily. "So those angels have to understand that Anne's existence, her life with Gadreel and their baby, was the last thing their most respected angel had done before his death. If they have any honor in their God forsaken essences, they'll leave them alone or else they'll taint Big E's legacy." He concluded and then Castiel understood. He nodded and the mischief returned in Gabriel's eyes. "To the angels he's like Madonna is to Drag Queens." He added with a grin just before he vanished.

Castiel knew what he had to do. The easy part was placing all the angel wards that he knew in the Men of Letters' bunker and on the bones of Gadreel and Anne like he had done to the Winchesters so long ago. The difficult part would be telling Gadreel what Gabriel told him. He knew it wouldn't be easy for Gadreel to accept, but he believed it would be essential to keeping Anne and the baby safe.

Gabriel was right: killing her and her unborn child would be destroying Ezekiel's legacy and they wouldn't dare do that.


	45. Run Devil Run

The song here is "Run Devil Run" by Ke$ha

 **Run Devil Run**

So far, things were going well, as planned. The numbers were growing and Crowley wasn't catching on. He still thought this was all about him; annoying him and trying to destroy him. If only he knew…

Fifty demons gathered around in an abandoned factory type building as Jesse sat at a table with Hal, his right-hand demon. In front of him was a bowl of blood that Hal used to communicate with Stephanie who had gone into hiding so Crowley and his Hellhounds couldn't follow her. By hiding, she was keeping Jesse a well kept secret.

"Crowley's got his son protected." He said and then paused. "He trusts Kelley." He added and then he grinned as he glanced over at Jesse. "Phase one is looking good." He concluded and Jesse nodded with satisfaction.

"So we're ready for phase two?" he asked and the demons nodded and then approached. "What do we have?" he asked and listened as the demons pitched their ideas.

"I have a horde of starved vampires and werewolves that can be unleashed on the Winchesters; Crowley's little playmates." One demon said and Jesse considered it, but gave a subtle shake of the head.

"Another?" he asked and the demon looked disappointed, but remained still as if what Jesse said went. Another demon stepped out and voiced their idea.

"I have a couple of pleasant little Khan Worms stashed into a jar." The demon said and the one beside him glanced at him with an arched eyebrow.

"Eve's creations? How did you get a hold of them? They're extremely rare." he asked and the other demons seemed interested in knowing as well. However, the demon just smiled and remained silent.

Jesse shook his head and looked around for more ideas. One demon pushed through others and all eyes turned to him.

"I have a Djinn that's ready to go." He said with a dark glimmer in his eyes. Jesse considered it, but glanced at Hal with a slight frown.

"I don't think Djinn's poison works on demons." He said and Hal gave a slight nod. The demon wanted to protest, but remained silent knowing that his idea would be shot down anyway.

"And we're not going to waste time and putting it to the test." He agreed and then Jesse waited for another idea. These creatures were fearsome, for a human, but not enough for Crowley. He wanted more.

"Demons, think of Crowley's weaknesses. And I don't mean the Winchesters." Jesse said and then one of the demons that gave a suggestion frowned.

"You mean the Queen and her daughter?" he asked and the demons didn't seem to like that idea. "She's powerful and a much better ruler than Crowley. Why would we go after her?" he added and Jesse grinned.

"You're not going after her; you're going after Crowley. We need something that will have him so thinly spread out that his head is spinning." Jesse replied. The demons nearly scratched their heads in confusion. They were never going to hurt Clara and hurting the Winchesters seemed pretty delicious. What weren't they doing right?

Then a female demon stepped forward and gave Jesse a flirtatious smirk along with a dark gleam in her eyes.

"I have a real treat for you." She said and twirled her hair around her finger. "And everyone will love it." she said as she cast her eyes downward, as if referring to those behind her. When she lifted her eyes up to Jesse, they danced with darkness. "Clara has relatives. We go after them, she'll be out of Hell. We go after the kid, Nikolai will protect her. With both of the most powerful members away, Crowley is left to his own devices." She added and Jesse gave a dark smile.

At that moment, another female demon stepped out with an expression of annoyance directed at the first female demon. When she glanced at Jesse, she gave a devious smile.

"I've got one better. Hang on to your seat because this one's gonna blow your sweet mind." She said and the other female demon glared at her. It seemed to both Jesse and Hal that these two were battling for Jesse's attention and approval.

"Stalling?" the first female demon asked and the second ignored her.

"I have a witch." She said and the first female demon laughed harshly. "She was a former member of the Grand Coven. Unlike the others, if any still exist, she still has her powers. They're diminished, but don't let that fool you. This one's strong and just to our taste." She added and Jesse scrunched up his nose, not understanding how this was better.

"A witch." The first female demon said in a mumble as she still laughed.

"I've done my research. We can use her and she'll have Crowley going insane." She said and Jesse only then seemed to consider it, making the first female demon jealous.

"She better be a borrower, or I don't see her value." She said.

"A witch that harnesses demonic power can't be trusted to do as its told." The second demon said with a sneer, then smiled at Jesse. "She's a Natural witch and her spells are deadly. Her name is Rowena MacLeod." She added and then some demons smiled darkly as others seemed clueless. "Crowley's first name was Fergus Roderick MacLeod." She added and then everyone found themselves on the same page.

"This witch is Crowley's relative?" Jesse asked with a grin and the demon grinned as well, enjoying this moment.

"His mother who abandoned him when he was a child." She said and the other demons joined her in her devious grin. Even Jesse and Hal couldn't help themselves. "Back when Crowley was hyped up on human blood, he went on an escapade for love. Sure, he found himself a Queen, but that wasn't really what he was looking for. Our King has mommy issues and that's how we'll finally terminate his ruling." She added and Jesse stood up and approached her, making the other female demon furious.

"I like both these ideas." He said and the jealous demon smirked. "That's what we'll do. We'll spread them all so thin that no one will expect a thing. No one will be able to stop us." Jesse said and phase two of their plan was beautifully invincible.

The demons were eager to start and Jesse gave them the orders to begin, under Stephanie's direction that is. He also approved of the idea of everything being done all at the same time; it would be even better. No one would be the wiser to what they were after.

If Crowley only knew…

 **Yes, I've written Rowena into this story mainly because I thought her interactions with Crowley could be very useful, so all credit goes towards the show for that. However, it'll sort of become an AU, just a little.**

 **Thanks everyone for reading and leaving wonderful reviews!**


	46. Night of the Hunter

The song here is "Night of the Hunter" by 30 Seconds to Mars

 **Night of the Hunter**

Hal continued speaking to Stephanie through his bowl of blood and she requested that the witch be brought to her. She'll give her the information required while the others resume their posts in Hell. She assured Hal that she would organize everything for Jesse and if Crowley discovers their plan, it'll only be traced back to her. He agreed and then asked Jesse for a small party of demons to take Rowena to Stephanie.

The demon that suggested they use Rowena in their plans approached Jesse and warned him that this witch would kill them before they could try to restraint her; she's not to be underestimated.

"I feel a suggestion coming, Miss..." He said and she smiled sweetly at him.

"Chrissy." She said and then there was a dark glint in her eyes. "I'd order demons that you could afford to lose to be the first to meet her, and then the others can take care of her. If they gag her, she's defenseless. I've seen her work her magic; she does it all by incantation." She said and Jesse nodded, glancing over at Hal who had heard everything and gave out the orders.

No sooner said than done, the demons dispersed and phase two was put into motion once Chrissy told them where to find this witch.

They surrounded Rowena's hotel in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and soon infiltrated. They twisted a few necks along the way to her hotel room and only a couple continued, as Chrissy had suggested. However, they were not told that Rowena would kill the first demons to invade her privacy.

They threw the door opened with their demonic power to find the witch sitting in a chair, reading a book and drinking a class of brandy as two hotel staff members were pinned to the ceiling, clearly dead.

The witch didn't bother to glance over at them and, no doubt, she must have known what they were. She immediately mumbled something and one of the demons fell to their knees and a thick black liquid emerged through the eyes, the nose and the mouth.

The other demon wasted no time, realizing that this witch might only be capable of casting a spell on one target at a time.

It flicked her out of her chair, across the room and the other demons charged into the room, overwhelming her. She tried another spell and the closest demon suffered the same spell. She tried to attack another, but they tossed her again, toward another that quickly twisted her arms behind her back, tying her wrists together, while another gagged her.

It happened all so quickly and it ended as such. Rowena had been captured by a horde of demons, only being able to kill two of them.

The demons casually glanced at their dead comrades and then believed Chrissy. This witch was powerful, but they couldn't help but take satisfaction in that, knowing that she would be unleashed on Crowley.

However, for now, she was fighting them with every ounce of energy she had. There was rage in her eyes as well as hatred and this pleased them. Did she hate demons? Good. This would be even better for Crowley.

They disappeared from Rowena's hotel room and appeared in Stephanie's secret location. It was like a cave, but it had apparent signs of habitation that remained with a rundown lay-z-boy chair, a table and a small make-shift cabinet. Stephanie had added her own touch with a gate and a few magazines.

She sat in that disgusting chair, waiting for them with a grin on her face as she saw the witch. One of the demons kicked behind her knee and she fell to the dirt, little stones cutting through her gown to her knees. She winced, but her gag muffled her moan of discomfort. She glared at the demon in the chair and, as she looked around, she seemed unimpressed.

"So, this is the witch." Stephanie said and the demons filled her in. She grinned at Rowena and sat forward, looking at their captive, blinking her eyes black. "We have a proposition for you, witch." She said and Rowena narrowed her eyes as Stephanie blinked the darkness away. "There's a demon in Hell we would just love for you to play with. We'd like to buy your services." She concluded and Rowena arched an eyebrow as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Stephanie let out a dark giggle and placed her sharp nail of her index finger under Rowena's chin.

"I know, just what could we offer you in return?" she asked and grinned at the hatred in the witch's eyes. "You get to make the King of Hell miserable. Harness his power, I don't care. Do what you want, but you kill him and we'll torture you so bad, you'll wish for death. Do I make myself clear, witch?" Stephanie asked and Rowena just stared at her as if defiant.

"Maybe she wants to communicate." One demon said and Stephanie looked up at him, unimpressed. Her eyes were dark and she sat back in her chair with a bone chilling smirk.

"Yes, we'll let her talk where she'll clearly chant a spell. Maybe we'll untie her hands and let her write a message, but she'll just remove her gag and chant a spell." She said mockingly and the demon lowered his eyes. "What a genius; I wish I had thought of it first." She added and then glared at him.

When her eyes returned to Rowena, she gave a twisted grin.

"You want anything else, you come to me." she said and then Rowena rolled her eyes and nodded. "So we have an agreement. Good. But I warn you, witch: cross us and we'll cross your name out of the good old book of Life." She concluded.

Stephanie looked up at the demons, ready to give an order, when the howl of a Hellhound pierced through the silence. She snarled at the demons and stood up, balling her hands into fists.

"You morons!" she shouted at them, realizing that the Hellhounds had been watching and waiting this whole time, only now jumping in to grab them, since they were ready to leave. No demon was ever faster than a Hellhound and she knew no one would be able to escape.

One demon tried to quickly run out of Stephanie's lair, but shrieked in pain as something sank its fangs into his legs and dragged him out of the cave so fast that no one saw it happening. Demons were being snatched up quicker than they could disappear, even Stephanie was too slow.

Thus, the Hellhounds wasted no time and let no one escape, not even the witch that was bound, dragging them all back down to Hell to face Crowley's wrath.


	47. Little Queen

The song here is "Little Queen" by Heart

 **Little Queen**

Crowley left the master bedroom to give Clara her much deserved sleep. He walked down the hallway and turned down another to see his daughter. Before he could reach her door, he heard nothing but silence. He thought she'd still be asleep, but when he peered in, her bed was empty and the game "Monopoly" was out with apparently three players that were now absent.

Where else would he find his daughter? She slept, now she must be hungry. To the kitchen it was. He walked down to the dining room and opened the door to the kitchen. He could hear Keara telling Nikolai that her sandwich was "crooked". When he stepped in, his Knight standing behind the island, lifted his eyes up to him as if asking for a little help.

Keara, sitting on a stool across Nikolai at the island, turned and gave her father a big smile. He approached and wrapped an arm around her as he kissed her head.

"Hello, Princess." He said and she turned back to Nikolai and pointed at her sandwich.

"Niki's making it wrong." She said and he tried not to grunt, but his expression betrayed him. As Crowley watched him, he thought about what Clara had told him. It was best not to press any buttons and even better to remind his daughter to do the same.

"Cut him a break, Sweetheart." He said and she looked up at him with a slight frown, knowing that wasn't like her father. "Sandwiches aren't his specialty." He added and she smiled as that sounded more like him.

When he looked at Nikolai, he caught a glimpse of a grin.

At that moment, Crowley could sense that the Hellhounds that were sent out had returned with their mouths full of demons deserving of his wrath. He kissed Keara on the head one last time and, for once, was actually glad when Gabriel clapped his hands and walked in with that cheesy grin.

"Gabriel!" she said and jumped off her stool, actually hugging the Archangel. Then Crowley's gladness was thrown out of the window.

"I'd ask you where you were, but I don't care." Crowley said and Gabriel arched an eyebrow at him, not knowing what that was about. "You stay with Keara." He added and then glanced at Nikolai. "You, come with me." he concluded and left the kitchen with his Knight in toe.

Keara watched them leave and then tugged Gabriel towards the island, pointing to her sandwich.

"Who made this? Freddy Krueger?" Gabriel asked Keara giggled.

"I like Freddy Krueger." She said and the Archangel glanced at her surprised. "What? He's a classic!" she added and when he gave her the sandwich, she took it and bit off a big chunk. "Let's go play." She concluded with a mouth full and Gabriel grinned.

"Love to, but I need to see your Mom." He replied and she shook her head.

"Sleeping." She said with another mouth full of her sandwich. "You don't want to wake up Mommy." She added after she swallowed. Gabriel sighed and followed her back to her bedroom, silently agreeing that waking up Clara wouldn't be a good way to stay on her good side.

"So, we continue with 'Monopoly'?" he asked and she shook her head.

"That gets to be boring." She replied and then glanced up at him with a grin. "I want to play 'Castle'." She added and Gabriel arched an eyebrow, not getting a lot of information based on the title of her game.

When they got to her room, she quickly looked through her closet and pulled out a princess costume which was just a pink dress with a pointy cap. She quickly wiggled into it and climbed onto her rocking unicorn.

Gabriel couldn't help but smile. The little Princess of Hell liked the color pink and unicorns. She was adorable and one would never think she was half demon, but he didn't doubt the dark power within her.

"So, how do we play this game?" he asked her and she gave him a grin.

"You're a Knight." She said and there was a sparkle in her eyes. "Which is Nikolai's role, since he actually is a Knight." She added with a little giggle.

"And that's your unicorn?" he asked her and she nodded.

"I can't have a real one. Mom and Dad said only creatures made in Hell can live in Hell." She said and gave a pouty lip. Gabriel smirked and snapped his fingers, mist appearing and forming quickly into a shape that made Keara shriek with delight.

Before her eyes was a white unicorn, whining and stomping its hoof. She jumped off her rocking unicorn and reached out to the one Gabriel conjured. It pushed its muzzle into her hand and she shrieked again. It felt so real!

"Can I keep it?" she asked and Gabriel gave her a sad grin.

"Sadly, it won't last forever." He replied and patted the unicorn on his back. "I'll have to use my concentration on other things and it'll disappear." He added and she looked up at him with a pouty lip, but then smiled.

"I'll make the best of it." she said and threw her hands into the air so Gabriel could lift her up and put her on the unicorn's back for a ride.

"I hope your Mom doesn't have a rule against unicorns in the house." Gabriel said and Keara laughed with glee as she pet her unicorn.

"Hi ho, Silver!" she said, making Gabriel stifle a laugh.


	48. Who's Next

The song here is "Who's Next" by Porcelain Black

 **Who's Next**

Nikolai followed Crowley out of the mansion and down to the cells that were so far and deep into Hell that no one would be able to hear the screams of agony. It's where Clara had kept her mother's soul as punishment and that of Viviane Cromwell to keep her safe.

Crowley told him what Nerilla had uncovered since he was babysitting Keara and guarding the mansion. The crossroad demon Hector had no prior knowledge of Stephanie who was the demon who put Kelley up to the task of approaching his son Gavin, making her think it was Crowley's orders.

Stephanie, the clever bitch, was hiding and Hector warned them that she was good at it. Well, not good enough to hide from Hellhounds who had clearly just brought back the wench and her minions.

"They've been placed in isolated cells. I want you to bring me the others one at a time, ending with the bitch." Crowley said with authority, even with a hint of rage, as they walked down to the torture room. "I want you to teleport so no demon sees they are in our possession. We have to assume that we can only trust our little circle." He added and Nikolai just had to ask the question, even though he was certain Crowley would shoot him a glare, as if implying that now is not the time and it's not important enough to explain.

However, Crowley sighed as if he was too tired to deal with Nikolai's bullshit and he'd rather just answer.

"Myself, Clara, Keara, Nerilla, Gabriel, Kelley and you, of course." He replied and didn't glance over his shoulder at his Knight to see if that reply satisfied him.

"Wow, branching out, I see." he said and his King ignored him as he stepped into the torture room, quickly preparing all the sharp tools and other pleasantries of torment.

"You will sense that one prisoner is not a demon." Crowley said as Nikolai watched his quick movements setting up the tools. He was ready and when he turned to his Knight, there was a strange dark glint in his eyes. "Leave that one to me." he concluded and Nikolai decided it was best not to ask questions.

He vanished and appeared in the corridor of isolated cells, finding the bounty hunting Hellhounds keeping guard. He walked down to sense who was who in those cells as he scratched behind the ears of those Hellhounds. They watched him closely, but remained still.

For good measure, he conjured a burlap sack and he stared at it, summoning small flames to burn sigils into the fabric that would disable the senses and powers of the demon prisoner. Quite a beautiful creation, he had to admit. The Hellhounds stared at his burlap sack and their eyes were so piercing that for a small moment, Nikolai felt an itch on his arm, around the Mark of Cain.

He couldn't scratch it, fearing that maybe the Hellhounds would strike an attack.

Nikolai brushed it off and stayed focused.

He figured that the non-demon was the last cell at the end of the corridor and Stephanie being the second last. Looking at the cells, there was no way they could speak to each other or know who was there. The cells in Hell seemed like simple cells, but they were anything but just cubes of rock with iron doors. They had been just simply cells at one point with iron bars, but that was one improvement done over the last couple of years. These cells now diminished all powers to nothing, rendering the prisoner to a pathetic waste of time and space, but the best part was that these cells were silent. Once inside, all one would hear is a deafening silence and one could scream at the top of their lungs… and it wouldn't even come out as a whisper on the other side of that iron door.

The prisoners could be yelling at that moment and all Nikolai heard was silence. These cells were incredibly wonderful.

He opened one door and the demon inside retreated to the corner like a frightened animal at the sight of him. He considered taking out the First Blade to really put the fear into this low-life demon, but then it made him wonder if he would lose control.

Nikolai walked in and grabbed the demon around his shirt collar and pulled the burlap sack over his head violently. The demon was quivering and the Hellhounds watched him, snarling at the prisoner. He vanished and appeared in the torture room where Crowley waited. It seemed he had an itch of his own; his eyes were burning with rage and he gripped an angel blade tightly in his dominate hand.

Nikolai shoved the demon forward and pushed him onto the cold slab where he willed the restraints to wrap around the demon so tightly that he convulsed with fear. He removed the burlap sack and stood by the door with his arms crossed as Crowley began torturing.

"I won't answer your questions." He said like a weakling.

Crowley turned to the counter and returned with a piece of material that he used to shove into the demon's mouth so deep that he began to choke.

"I have no intentions of asking you anything at the moment." He said and began carving into the demon with the angel blade, making him groan like a dying animal; the gag muffling his screams of agony.

As Nikolai watched, he felt that itch again, but it was stronger than it had been in the corridor of those cells. As much as he'd love to stay, he knew he had to stand outside of the torture room or he might realize his fear of losing control.

He silently closed the door behind him and closed his eyes, thinking of Keara. As he saw images of her laughing in his mind, he began to forget that itch and soon it vanished, making him completely forgetting that he had felt it in the first place.

He thought of going back in, but listening to that demon suffer was good enough. If he saw Crowley ripping him to shreds, he might just feel that itch again.


	49. Raise a Little Hell

The song here is "Raise a Little Hell" by Trooper

 **Raise a Little Hell**

With the unicorn walking on tile floors and Keara laughing, it was a surprise that Clara was still asleep. Of course, when Keara and the unicorn began knocking things over, Gabriel was certain Clara would wake up and then glare at him with her arms crossed over her chest.

Not a sight he wanted to see, especially when it would be directed at him.

He could snap his fingers and things would go back to the way they were. Luckily, nothing was broken yet. Then, just as he thought it, a vase toppled and fell to the floor with a piercing crashing sound that he was sure would wake up Clara.

"Keara, please keep the volume and the trashing to a minimum." He said as he snapped his fingers, all the broken pieces of the vase coming back to one whole vase, removing any evidence that it had been shattered.

At that moment, he closed his eyes shut and shrank a little.

"Shit." He said and turned, hearing those footsteps and then when they stopped. As he imagined, Clara stood at the edge of the balcony in the entrance of the mansion where she could have the pick of two stairs to use to come down and beat him senseless.

Her eyes were dark and cold and her hands gripping the railing like she was gripping his neck. Despite her sexy black silk housecoat, she was a sight for scared eyes.

"Just what is going on?" she asked him and then, silently, Keara peaked around the corner from one of the side rooms with the unicorn behind her, nudging her with its muzzle as if to ask why she had stopped playing.

When Clara glanced at Keara, she came out and immediately had this look of innocence with her hands behind her back and a sweet smile. However, her mother wasn't buying it.

When the unicorn walked out and nudged Keara again, Clara crossed her arms over her chest and shot Gabriel a questionable glare. All he could do was manage a half grin and he nearly threw his hands into the air as if to say he couldn't help himself.

"A unicorn?" she asked him. "In my house?" she added and then came down the stairs to Keara. She was graceful, but she was pissed. "Play with it outside, please." She added and Keara's smile brightened and she quickly ran out of the doors with the unicorn slowly walking behind her.

She glanced at Gabriel, not impressed, and stood in the doorway. When he approached her, he was certain she would snap at him, but her demeanor was calm.

"Did you explain to her that her pet unicorn is just magic?" she asked him and he felt sort of relieved.

"I did and she understands." He replied and Clara nodded, as if satisfied. "Now that you're awake…" he said, letting the sentence sort of drop when she shot him a glare over her shoulder.

"Thanks to you." She said and he simply gave her a grin. Finally, her lips twitched into a dark smirk and she glanced back at her daughter playing with the illusion.

"I have some news for you regarding Anne Cromwell." He said and she didn't flinch, but he knew she'd want to hear about it anyway. "She's pregnant." He said and paused, seeing a little smile on her face. "It's a Nephilim." He added and then she frowned in confusion.

"Gadreel is human." She replied and he told her what Castiel told him. She nodded and waved her hand for him to continue. If she had any questions, she didn't voice them.

"The angels want to kill all hybrids, but they don't know about Anne's baby… yet." He said and she turned and the expression in her eyes was as human as he's ever seen in her.

"You sure?" she asked him and his lips twitched as he nodded.

"The angels have enlisted the help of Metatron. He'll eventually find out. The only hope Anne has is angel wards and the message I passed on through Castiel." He said and when Clara frowned again, narrowing her eyes, he explained about Ezekiel. "The angels respected him too much to kill the last good thing he had done." He concluded and Clara simply looked at Keara, her expression difficult to read, although he was certain she was putting herself in Anne's shoes. Then, Gabriel knew she was thinking of something and when she turned her eyes to him, they were as dark as always.

"You're wrong about one thing." She said and he frowned in confusion. "That's not the only hope she has." She added and when she brought her fist up, opening her hand, there was a small crystal.

At that moment, a Hellhound trotted up to her from nowhere and sat at her feet.

"Back when I was pregnant, Anne cast a spell and gave me this crystal." Clara said and then looked down at it, now rolling it between her fingers. "Do you know that Hellhounds can smell anything, even the eldest scents? No matter how long, they can still pick up on a scent and track it." she added and bent down to the Hellhound's level, letting it smell the crystal.

"Explains why no soul can out run them." Gabriel said, nearly mumbling.

The way Clara and the Hellhound stared at each other was incredible. It was as if she had a strong connection with these creatures and that they deeply understood each other.

"I want you to find Anne Cromwell. She is pregnant with a Nephilim. You are not to harm her or the baby. You are not to harm Gadreel, her partner, or Viviane, her mother. You are to protect Anne and her baby. Anything, especially angels, that are a threat to her, you are to kill them." She said and then the Hellhound had vanished. It was a little eerie how quickly a Hellhound can be set out to track someone. Imagine if it was a death warrant… one would only have seconds to live.

Gabriel tried not to think about, knowing that countless souls had been collected by Hellhounds, snatched by their merciless jaws and dragged down to Hell.

When she stood up, another Hellhound appeared, but this one had rubbed its head against her leg. She scratched behind its ear and there was a smile on her face.

"Ginger, please go watch over Keara." She said and the Hellhound quickly ran over and laid down near the shadows of the stone walls, watching Keara playing with her unicorn. Its stare sent a shiver down Gabriel's spine. If he didn't know better, he'd say it would soon attack Keara.

Clara glanced at him and, instead of the crystal being in her hand, it was a cell phone.

"I had Nikolai program some cell phones for me. I'd like for you to take this one to Anne." She said and he looked at it with a slight grin on his face. He nodded and took it, meeting her eyes and seeing the fierce glint of a Cambion. She wasn't being authoritative or fearsome; she was worried for someone she cared about.

"I'll let her know about the Hellhound." He said and she grinned. "Be back in a flash." He concluded and vanished.


	50. Deliver Me

The song here is "Deliver Me" by Sarah Brightman

 **Deliver Me**

When Castiel returned, the Cromwells were ready to go. He wasn't certain if they were waiting for him or if they would have gone without him, knowing he would eventually join them. It didn't matter, the importance was telling them about Ezekiel.

When Gadreel looked at him, he wasn't quite impressed. He didn't think talking with Gabriel was a good idea; he believed it would attract attention from the angels, especially Metatron. He had told Castiel to at least put some distance between meeting Gabriel and the bookstore. He had done so, only because he was hoping that the last Archangel could help, but rather received this bit of information would take away some of Gadreel's fear. Or so he had hoped.

Anne and her mother were nearly out of the door with Gadreel behind them. Castiel couldn't let them go just yet and startled himself a little when his voice broke through the silence.

"Wait." He said and they slowly turned to him, as if to say they wouldn't spend another second here if it meant putting the baby at risk. "I've spoken with a friend of mine and he told me something you, Gadreel, must know." He added and Gadreel stared at him, his jaw slightly clenched. Anne glanced at him and then placed her hand on his arm. When he met her eyes, it seemed she was telling him to listen.

He glanced back at Castiel, his expression remaining the same, but he waited. Castiel approached them, not sure how to say it, but tried to soften the message as much as he could.

"When you had met Anne and gotten to know her, you both found out that she had died and had been resurrected." He said and Gadreel's eyes sharpened, as if he wasn't certain why Castiel was mentioning this, but had a growing suspicion that caused him more worry.

"Yes, but where are you going with this, Castiel?" he asked and waited patiently, despite the look in his eyes.

"Do you know who was responsible for her resurrection?" he asked and Anne glanced at Gadreel as he frowned.

"No." he replied and then, Castiel lowered his eyes, uncertain of how to put this without shocking Gadreel. When he met his eyes, he knew he couldn't stay silent for a second longer.

"It was Ezekiel." Castiel simply said and the bookstore seemed to suddenly fill with heaviness.

"What?" Gadreel asked, shocked.

"He was responsible for resurrecting Anne and placing your grace within her." Castiel said and then Gadreel shook his head and his frown deepened. Castiel tried to convince him, but he held up his hand and his jaw clenched hard.

"That is not possible." He said and before Castiel could continue, he snapped. "It's not." He added and Anne slipped under his arm and wrapped her arms around him in a comforting hug. He seemed to have calmed down, but he wouldn't hear it anymore.

"Gadreel, please listen to me." Castiel said, but Gadreel shook his head again.

"It cannot be possible because Ezekiel died before me. I should know." He said and his voice dropped nearly down to a whisper. Anne seemed concerned for him and glanced up at him.

"What do you mean 'I should know'?" she asked him and he lowered his eyes, but then glanced at her softly.

"When Metatron closed Heaven, when I wandered the Earth, I heard Dean praying for help. I came and claimed myself to be Ezekiel. I knew he had died and I shamelessly took on his identity in order to be trusted." He said and she listened with compassion. Castiel could see it in her face and in her eyes. It calmed Gadreel and all worry had vanished, although, he now seemed to be feeling guilty. "He was Heaven's best angel; he was highly regarded and respected while I was the most disgraceful angel." he added and she frowned. When he saw her reaction, there was a silent exchange between them.

At that moment, Castiel knew that Anne had convinced him that he was not worthless and dishonorable. It was clear to him now why Gadreel loved her so much. She reminded him of what made him good.

Gadreel's guilt vanished and she relaxed her frown as they both glanced back at Castiel.

"How could Ezekiel have placed my grace within her when he died before me?" Gadreel asked. Everything else seemed logical, but not this. Anne had died and they had met two years later where she received his grace. Ezekiel could not have done that.

Castiel believed Gadreel, but that meant he had no answer. Gabriel had said that Ezekiel was responsible for resurrecting her. Then, Castiel realized that he hadn't mentioned anything about Gadreel's grace.

"Then Ezekiel couldn't have placed my grace within Anne." He said and then she stepped back from Gadreel and frowned. He seemed slightly surprised, but then seemed a little guilty again.

"It was the same angel. I remember it being the same angel." she said and telling Gadreel about her dreams and her memories that had become clear after Roxanne hypnotized her. Gadreel nodded and approached her, pulling her into a comforting hug. "How can that be?" she asked and no one could answer that question.

Perhaps someone had impersonated Ezekiel as a familiar face to Anne as to not frighten her. Gadreel was right; Ezekiel couldn't have given her his grace. So who did?

At that moment, Castiel snapped himself out of it, realizing that he was wasting precious time.

"Anne," he said and they all glanced at him. "I promise I will answer this question for you, but there is more Gadreel needs to know." He concluded and his friend seemed concerned once again.

This part was going to be difficult, because not only was he going to mention the rest of Gabriel's message, but what he knows will be inevitable.

"Anne is Ezekiel's legacy. The angels will not harm her knowing that she is alive because that was Ezekiel's last action before his death." he said and Gadreel didn't argue. He knew just how much the angels loved Ezekiel. "But there is something else." he added and he felt as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. "Metatron will know, at some point." He said as softly as he could, but it still had a hard impact on Gadreel.

His face paled and he seemed as if his legs were about to buckle from under him. Anne gripped his arm and he whispered to her that he was alright. Viviane approached and held both of them tight against her, seeing that they needed some support.

"Are you saying that the angels will protect Anne, since she's Ezekiel's legacy?" Gadreel asked, eyes distant and his voice nearly monotone. Castiel approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder, drawing him out of his daze.

"I am certain." He replied. However, he knew that Metatron was still the most powerful angel and no amount of angels could stop him. But he remained hopeful that Gadreel's baby would be alright.

 **So, the whole "It can't be Ezekiel" that Gadreel was saying wasn't just me being clever. It's me realizing I have a pretty big loop hole that I had somehow missed, despite how BIG it is. Yeah, Ezekiel died before Gadreel, so it couldn't have been him that gave Anne Gadreel's grace. So Castiel saying he'll find Anne some answers… It's really me saying that I shot myself in the foot and that I'll fix this.**

 **I don't usually make mistakes like this because it drives me crazy when my stories don't make sense, but no one's perfect. I probably do have some loop holes, but this one here is like a spider under my skin; I have to fix it.**

 **So, sorry for this, I'll figure it out, dear lovely readers. Thanks for all the support!**

 **(And since I write so far ahead of what I post on , I have fixed it and I think it's pretty good. So stay tuned!)**


	51. You are The Moon

The song here is "You Are the Moon" by The Hush Sound

 **You Are the Moon**

The Cromwells were about to leave the bookstore once they got over the shock of the news Castiel delivered and after Castiel placed angel wards on their bones to keep them hidden from angelic sight. Even Viviane was placed under this form of protection. It was a big help in relieving them from their stress.

However, the worry wasn't completely gone. First, they find out that Ezekiel is the one that resurrected Anne many years ago and then that Metatron will eventually learn of their baby.

It was too much and, as if that wasn't enough, something else made them freeze in place with shock as well as a little bit of fear. There was a deep growl in front of them as if it wouldn't let them leave. They saw nothing and they waited, but the invisible creature didn't growl again.

"A Hellhound." Castiel said and then both Anne and Viviane turned to glance at him.

"Do you mean Clara sent us a Hellhound?" Viviane asked and Castiel frowned, remaining silent. Somehow he doubted. He was about to say that just because Clara was their relative, it didn't mean Hell wasn't still a threat to them. However, something interrupted him from saying just that.

There was a noise behind them. When Castiel turned, on the table behind him, was a cell phone with a note. He approached and picked it up hesitantly despite his curiosity. Gadreel walked up and read the note over his shoulder.

 _Yes, she sent you a Hellhound and here's a cell phone for you. Call her. – G._

Castiel gave Gadreel the cell phone and he turned it on. It brought him immediately to a list of contacts and when he turned, Anne approached him with confusion. He gave her the cell phone, a shiny black iPhone 6, and her eyes widened when she saw Clara's number.

"You should call her." Castiel said and showed her the note. Anne seemed surprised and just as confused, but she tapped on the "Call" icon and placed the phone to her ear, waiting, listening to the ringing.

"Hi, Anne." Clara's voice finally spoke through after a couple of rings.

"Clara?" Anne asked, revealing her confusion. Clara let out a soft chuckle and confirmed it was indeed her.

"Did you receive my gift?" she asked and Anne frowned as couldn't think of what that could be, until she thought of the Hellhound.

"The Hellhound?" she asked and Clara gave a soft chuckle again.

"Yes." She replied and then paused. "I know, Anne. Congratulations on the baby. I sent you a Hellhound to protect you and you can call me whenever you need my help." She added and Anne sort of snorted. If Clara didn't understand why, she didn't say. She remained silent. Not only that, but Clara just got to the point without small talk, which might have been nice if she had started that way.

"I don't understand. I haven't heard from you for years and now you act like family?" she asked and Clara was still silent, but when she spoke, she didn't sound offended.

"We are family, Anne. I must admit that yes, I've been focused on Hell and my daughter, but I wouldn't let some douchebag angel hurt you." She replied and now Anne was the one to remain silent, except for sighing.

"Sorry, I'm sort of cranky." She said and Clara let out a laugh.

"Been there." She replied and Anne let out a small laugh, but then wondered how Clara was doing with all this madness. It had to be just as hard for her.

"How are you and your daughter?" she asked and Clara was silent for a second, but let out a soft laugh.

"Don't you worry about us. We're very resourceful. But I'm not kidding Anne, any trouble, call me. I'll be there to obliterate any angel." she said and then Anne thought of Metatron and she wanted to ask, but wasn't sure if that was too much to ask for. When she was silent, Clara seemed to know she was thinking something. "Anne?" she asked and she blurted out the question.

"Could you defeat Metatron?" she asked and immediately felt bad for asking, knowing that Clara had her own problems. However, she let out a small laugh which relieved Anne.

"You forget who you're talking to, Sweetie. If that prick shows his ugly face and won't back down, I'll bring Hell down on his ass and it comes in a sexy red dress." She said and Anne exhaled with relief, feeling like an intense heaviness had just been lifted. She could now rest knowing that something powerful would protect them against Metatron. It was sad how not even Anne's Wiccan faith could give her that comfort; all the spells and prayers she knew and yet having Hell on her side eased her mind.

She glanced at Gadreel and it seemed he had been following the conversation as best as he could. He seemed relieved too, based solely on her reaction, of course.

"I hope I'm not asking you to split yourself in two." Anne said and Clara huffed as if to say it was no problem at all.

"I was born split in two." She said and Anne couldn't resist a little laugh. "You're strong, Anne. Give yourself and your spells some credit. My Hellhound will follow you everywhere. Keep safe." She said and Anne thanked her, hearing the line going silent after a couple of seconds. If Clara didn't do small talk, she certainly didn't do goodbyes. It was safe to say she wasn't comfortable with phone conversations.

She turned to her mother and confirmed that Clara would help them. At that moment, everyone seemed to let go of the worry and the fear. For once since this madness began, they could breathe better. They would go to the best bunker in existence; they had angel wards on their bones and the Cambion Queen of Hell, along with a Hellhound, promising protection. It was a relief.

But with all that surrounded Anne, Clara mentioned something that surprised her, as if Clara could hear her thoughts: she didn't give herself or her spells enough credit. She wasn't completely powerless. She had the God and the Goddess on her side and some spells up her sleeve.


	52. Blood on My Name

The song here is "Blood on My Name" by The Brothers Bright

 **Blood on My Name**

Nikolai stood outside of the torture room, time stretching on and speeding past, if that was possible. Listening to the screams, he fought against the itch that the Mark of Cain was creating. At the same time, it seemed like Crowley would open the door as quickly as Nikolai delivered his victims. Was he blacking out or was Crowley just that good?

He couldn't stop thinking about the Mark. Why would it now start to itch? Was it because of the rebellion? Does disorder cause the Mark to demand action? If that's the case, he couldn't argue against it. He wanted to make sure that this rebellion didn't change a single thing. He could really work with this theory. If he was right, then he had nothing to worry about; turning into some monster.

But he thought about Cain and how he lived in isolation, how he wasn't exactly living the dream and enjoying it. That had to worry him a little.

Crowley opened the door and Nikolai glanced over his shoulder. Luckily, he didn't have to worry about seeing a mess that would maybe encourage the Mark of Cain because Crowley seemed to clean up after every torture and kill. It's as if Crowley knows that the Mark is affecting him. Then, he realized that he would know because Clara wouldn't hide this from him, not that he could blame her.

"Now, it's time for Stephanie." Crowley said and Nikolai quickly set off.

All the demons had refused to speak a word. The only thing they confirmed is the rebellion. It was coming and it would change everything. Crowley wouldn't see it coming. That last part sounded stupid, but Crowley wasn't. He knew that meant something. These demons were planning something big and they were certain that their King wouldn't have a clue about it.

So, Crowley had shared his theory with Nikolai. If it was something he didn't see coming, it meant that this rebellion wasn't about him like they wanted him to believe. Nikolai had to agree; that sounded smart. Crowley had said that Gavin wasn't in any harm: they wanted him to think that he was, hence the inexperience crossroad demon. One could argue that she would have convinced Gavin to make a deal, seeing an opportunity to become the next best crossroad demon. But it wasn't just to use a clueless pawn to fall for it and then to face Crowley's wrath; Kelley was just useless to them. Kelley wouldn't have harmed Gavin and then questioning her was at best a distraction, to say the least.

As Nikolai approached Stephanie's cell, he knew there was no way she was going to know that Crowley was catching on. He was going to continue with the idea that the demons were after him by going through his son.

Nikolai opened the door of her cell to see her just sitting against the wall with this deathly glare on her face like she was the threat and not him. He flashed his darkest grin and lifted his hand to his face, curling his index finger to invite her towards him.

"Do you think I'm afraid?" she asked and he placed his hands in his pockets, where the burlap sack was half tucked into one of them, as he leaned in the doorway.

"No, you look like I'm the one who should be afraid." He said and she grinned, but he didn't agree with her. "Too bad, because out of the two of us, I'm not the one who has a reason to be afraid." He concluded and her grin fell as her eyes sharpened, looking like a Hellhound about to attack.

"Like Crowley is a reason to be afraid; I'm not afraid of his torturing." Stephanie replied with conviction.

"What about me?" Nikolai asked, revealing the Mark of Cain that had a slight itch, as if begging him to stick the First Blade in her.

"Crowley's pet?" she asked with a dark grin. "I'm not afraid of either of you." She added and then smiled in a smug manner.

"Yet." Nikolai replied and pulled out the burlap sack from his pocket. She rose to her feet and simply stood still, as if to show that she wasn't afraid. He reached out and grabbed her by the throat, slamming her hard against the wall, but she didn't fight back. He wouldn't kill her with the First Blade, but nothing said he couldn't hurt her a little.

At that moment, he thought something interesting: she was going to die with all her secrets. She was going to take the torture and die like the others; but she would be silent until her very last moment of her demon life.

He raised her off her feet and grinned at her, enjoying inflicting this bit of pain on her. He quickly dropped her and before her legs could buckle and lose control, he slammed her into the wall and pulled the burlap sack over her head. He twisting her around and gripping her arms behind her back so tight that he heard a pop in one of her shoulders as well as a yelp that she was trying to hold back.

He pushed her out of her cell and she walked down the corridors out of her own free will. He whistled as he escorted her and when he forced her to a stop, that's the moment her torture began, frightened or not.

He pulled the burlap sack off her head and tossed it onto the counter and he shoved her onto the metal slab that smelled of blood.

"Nikolai, please, where are your manners?" Crowley asked and she glared up at him as she pushed herself up with her uninjured arm. Nikolai gripped her hair and yanked her towards him and then lifted her up, dropping her on the metal slab. He then tied her in manually and tightened the straps to the point that she yelped. He grinned at her and then stepped back.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself." He said and Crowley cast him a casual smirk. "I get all rough when a pretty girl plays hard to get." He added and he was about to walk out of the room, but turned on his heel and grinned at Stephanie. "By the way, she tripped and when I reached out to grab her, I accidently dislocated her shoulder." He concluded and she snarled at him as he walked out of the room.

"I do apologize for my Knight." He said and Stephanie let out a dry laugh.

"Save your bullshit, Crowley. I won't play your games and I'm not afraid." She said and he hovered over her head so she could look up directly into his dark eyes.

"Keep telling yourself that and I'm sure it'll be true." He replied and walked over to the counter, pulling out some tools he was sure would convince her of her lack of fear.

"I won't tell you anything, just to let you know." She said and he grinned as he approached with some sharp toys.

"I don't need you for information. I have all that I need. Torturing you is just for fun." He replied and she was silent, as if she wasn't certain whether to believe him or not.

"You know nothing, Crowley." she said and he let out a dark laugh as he tenderly placed a sharp scalpel on her forehead.

"Your demons say so much when they say so little." He replied and she snorted as if she didn't believe him.

At that moment, he pushed down on the scalpel and it went into her forehead, into her skull where it made a deep cracking sound, making her scream. Her eyes rolled back into her head, but it wasn't enough to go into her vessel's brain and kill it.

He pulled out the scalpel and even twisted it out, causing more pain. He walked over to the counter and grabbed the bottle of holy water as well as the box of salt to pour into her head wound. She screamed again, but this time she began cursing at him.

"Music to my ears." He said and poured some more in, grinning over the sound of her screaming.


	53. Ancestors, the Ancients

The song here is "Ancestors, the Ancients" by Chelsea Wolfe

 **Ancestors, the Ancients**

He stepped out of Heaven and stood in a parking lot of some store. He glanced around with a slight smile on his lips as he breathed in the air. It felt so good to be back on Earth, free and among all the things he had come to be familiar with. Most importantly, he was craving to be around books. How he loved books.

"No time for your reminiscence, Metatron." Micah said as he stood next to him with a stone expression. Metatron smiled at him as he placed his hands in his pockets so casually.

"Relax. We have all the time in the world. All we ever have in the whole existence of Life is Time." he said and Micah just glanced at him as if he could do without his comments.

"The Nephilim is nearby." He said and glanced around the parking lot and across the street at the building, as if trying to find her.

"You don't need me to kill her." he said and Micah looked at him with a frown. "You mean you do? Wow, performance issues?" he asked and Micah's frown deepened, as if he didn't understand. Metatron shook his head and looked at the ground. "It's just a Nephilim. Even Castiel had no problem killing her." he said, more or less hiding the truth that Castiel actually had difficulty coming to that conclusion, but was fooled into doing it.

Micah didn't seem comfortable with the mention of Castiel, especially knowing that he had killed Jane.

"Having second thoughts?" Metatron asked.

"Gadreel restored her life." Micah said and then glanced at Metatron as if he indeed doubted everything. "In breaking your curse on Heaven." He added and Metatron rolled his eyes.

"It was a spell." He said, as if that was the only thing that mattered, like sealing Heaven wasn't a big deal. Gadreel had broken the spell and gave his grace to keep it open. He undid everything Metatron had done. Something told Micah that he could not allow Metatron to do some more damage, especially if it could not be undone.

However, those hybrids posed a threat to the balance and if he was to have the Cambions destroyed, the Nephilim had to go as well. Her survival could threaten the balance. They were never created by God and that was for a reason; everything was perfectly balanced. No creature created by angels and demons along with humans should exist, for they are a threat to God's balance! He could not emphasize it enough! Was he the only one who could see that?

"I see the wheels turning in your head." Metatron said and Micah wondered if he could see the doubts he was having. "We'll go together, if that makes you happy." He said and walked away, as if he knew exactly where to find the Nephilim.

Micah had to believe this was the right thing to do.

He followed Metatron as he thought about this, as if trying to convince himself it was the right thing to do. Did he doubt himself? If not, why was he thinking so hard about this?

They walked up to a restaurant and Metatron gestured for him to go inside. He walked in and realized that Metatron had stayed outside, as if he would watch from a distance, making him kill Jane on his own… like he had done to Castiel.

Did he still have doubts now?

When Jane walked around, giving plates of food to the customers with a smile, he could sense the angelic side and it reminded him of his beliefs. A little piece of Heaven was walking around in this Nephilim and it had no right to be there. It had to be destroyed.

He sat down and as he looked at her, he knew she would recognize an angel as soon as she looked into his eyes. She wouldn't want to be anywhere near him and she might even defend herself. He would not have an advantage. However, as he glanced outside and saw Metatron reading a newspaper, he had a horrible idea form in his mind: he could tell the Nephilim that he is there to warn of her Metatron, who seeks her death at no end.

It was too late to figure out any flaws in the plan or to doubt it. She stepped up and asked to take his order. When he looked up at her, she froze and she was immediately on guard.

"Go away." She said, but he softened his face and tried to be as empathetic as he could be.

"I am here to warn you." He said and she frowned as he gripped the pen in her hand tighter.

"I haven't done anything." she said and he tried for a smile, but it was probably unsuccessful.

"I mean to say that there is an angel outside." He said and she immediately glanced out, at first not knowing where to look, but then she seemed to have focused on Metatron. "He means to kill you. He believes I will fool you to trust me, but I ask that you come with me. I can help you." He said and immediately felt guilty for lying. However, he drilled himself with the belief that hybrids were a menace to the balance that God created.

She looked at him with uncertainty, but when Metatron moved, her eyes widened as she recognized him. She didn't give it much thought and nodded to Micah.

He got up and followed her to the back of the restaurant. The workers in the kitchen didn't seem to have noticed them, let alone ask why she was leaving. She opened the back door and walked out, looking around as if paranoid that Metatron would be there in a trap for her.

Micah knew this had to be the right time.

He closed the door behind them just as an Angel Blade fell from his sleeve and into his hand. With precision and speed, he stabbed the Nephilim in the back and a white light emerged from her body until it vanished, leaving her body to go limp.

He pulled out the blade of her back and watched as the body fell to the ground. Not long after, he caught sight of someone standing off to the side. He looked up and Metatron stood there with the newspaper under his arm, looking smug and impressed.

"I have to give it to you, I didn't think you could, but you did." He said and Micah fought against glaring at him. Although killing the Nephilim is as important as killing the Cambions, it somehow didn't feel right. It wasn't a feeling he understood very well and thinking it over was just as confusing.

Metatron clapped his hands and looked as if a Nephilim hadn't just been killed.

"Right then." He said so casually. "Shall we find ourselves a Cambion?" he asked and looked to Micah for an answer, as if looking to see if he still wanted to restore the balance by ridding the world of hybrids.


	54. Holding on to Hell

The song here is "Holding on to Hell" by Gin Wigmore

 **Holding on to Hell**

Crowley's hands were dripping with blood, but he wouldn't end it just yet. He had done almost everything he knew on Stephanie and she still clung to her statement that he knew nothing. It sounded as if she was trying to convince herself of that and Crowley would just mockingly agree with her.

He would carve sigils into her skin to make sure she wouldn't die just yet and then rip into her, digging inside and pulling out muscles and bones, enjoying her screams. At this point, she was even too exhausted to scream; she would just cry and stubbornly cling to her belief the King of Torture knew nothing at all.

"I'm not afraid." She mumbled and Crowley smacked her cheek with a grin.

"Ah, finally a change of tune." He said and turned to the counter, bringing forward a silver bullet he had made when he had melted an angel blade. He pushed it into the wound he had made in her forehead and he watched as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she gasped like a corpse that was on the brink of returning to life, desperately drawing in oxygen.

"Now, tell me about your plans for my son." He said and her eyes slowly came out of her skull, but then turned black, like she was reminding herself that she was a demon and not some pathetic and weak human.

"You haven't broken me." Stephanie said weakly and he grinned darkly, staring into the darkness of her eyes, as if staring into the essence of what she is.

"But I'm getting so close." He replied and continued his torture. He used a dull blade and cut away at her skin, peeling off layers of skin and tissue. He continued until she cried, like she was finally broken. For good measure, he tortured her again, pouring salt and holy water into her body, or what was left of it. He would have to wipe away her blood just to see where he hadn't touched her skin, which was near to having removed her skin like removing the wrapper of a delicious chocolate waiting to be devoured.

"Enough." She mumbled, blood dripping from her mouth. It came out as more of a sound than a word and he leaned in, acting like he didn't hear anything. Stephanie repeated the word, revealing how weak she was.

"Are you broken?" he asked and she remained silent and still. Crowley stood straight and kept his eyes low on her, as if telling her he had her life in his hands and he could quickly extinguish it without a care. "Tell me your plans for my son." He said and when she remained silent, he poured holy water into her, making her cry.

"You'll only kill me, so why should I answer you." She said, barely audible. Crowley could admire her determination, but it also irritated him. She was wasting precious time and he just wanted to kill her at this point.

"Or I could keep you alive, torture you, until it drives you mad." He replied and she moaned as if she could already feel the agony of that idea. "Perhaps tell your little friends that you told me everything and let them kill you." He said and she slowly looked up at him and managed a grin, but it was pathetically weak.

"You can threaten me, but you'll never see it coming." She said and he lowered his face to her, his eyes turning red as his rage boiled.

"That's what the others said. Trust me, Pet, that tells me all I need to know about your little rebellion." He said and then she lost all attitude, realizing that he might just know a part of the plan. "Distractions are futile." He concluded and he plunged a dull blade, soaked in holy water and dipped into salt, into her chest, making her tremble as she fought against a scream.

At that moment, Crowley's red essence began to emerge from his vessel and began to slip into Stephanie's mouth as she wiggled against the bindings, protesting. He only entered her vessel far enough to reach into her essence, into her vessel's memories, and see what she had done like it was a home movie. Although this felt him exposed and slightly vulnerable, she was too weak to do anything.

When his essence returned to his vessel, she shuttered as he glowered at her. She was terrified although she tried to keep that tough and untouchable façade.

"Should have done that to start with." She said, knowing know that Crowley had seen her memories, as much as she tried to block him out. He let out a dark chuckle and she fought against looking into his eyes.

"And what fun would that provide us?" he asked and walked over to the counter, washing off all the blood. He cleaned up as much as he could, ignoring Stephanie's pathetic attempts to prove that he knew nothing. Once things were clean, he pulled out a large body bag from the cabinet and unfolded it on the floor, unzipping it and making sure it was ready.

He untied her arms and legs, tipped the metal slab and watched as she fell into the body bag like chunks of meat. She groaned as pain ripped through her, especially when she tried to move. He walked over and began to zip up the bag.

"Kill me." she said, but Crowley ignored her. He walked over to the door and opened it, telling Nikolai to put her back in her cell. "Kill me!" she roared with the remnants of her dignity.

Nikolai took one end and dragged her behind him, back to her cell. She begged for him to end her, but he laughed it off.

"So much for not being afraid." He said, laughing as she cried in pain. "Reverse psychology, Babe. If you want to die, ask Crowley to live. But, you wanted to take your secrets to the grave, only your grave is a rubber bag of a Limbo, locked away in a cell." He said and tossed her inside the cell, grinning at the sickening sound and at her moaning in pain. "Good luck dying." He said and closed the door, listening to her scream until the door locked, turning her screams into silence.

Her plunge into madness had just begun.


	55. Ice

The song here is "Ice" by Sarah McLachlan

 **Ice**

They left the bookstore as soon as the conversation between Anne and Clara was over. Gadreel wasted no time in getting the car into drive, even surpassing the speed limit. Anne glanced over at him and his eyes seemed fierce and focused as his jaw was clench tightly like his hands on the steering wheel.

She knew he was still worried about her and their baby, even if Clara promised to help whenever there would be a threat like Metatron. Maybe he was also worried about what they were leaving behind; their bookstore and their junkyard, everything they worked so hard to make. It was also well protected, but it wasn't a bunker. And maybe he was also anxious about asking the Winchesters for help.

Anne's heart sank in her chest as the thought crossed her mind.

Castiel offered them comfort that the Winchesters would help, but no one actually asked them. Dean was offended that she took off without an explanation a couple of years ago because he wasn't useful to her anymore. She had Crowley and Clara that were more helpful. She left on a bad note and now she was going to them, again, asking for help, again. She felt guilty and she wondered what they would say. They would probably let them in, but lecture them on how they're just being used again. She could imagine Dean asking her if she was going to ask Crowley for protection because he just wasn't good enough. And then if he knew that Clara had already offered protection… Dean would probably ask her why she even needs his help.

Anne must have seemed stressed because her mother reached and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she asked and she felt like responding with "like it wasn't obvious", but held the sarcasm back as she bit her lower lip.

"How do we know the Winchesters won't tell us to go to Hell." She said with an awkward smile, as if trying to lighten her mood by using humor. "They obviously feel like we used them and tossed them into the garbage. And we didn't even ask them to help us." She said and Castiel leaned forward with a soft expression that seemed to help calm her worry.

"You should call Dean. He will help." Castiel said so softly that she nodded, being slightly convinced he was right. Gadreel pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, while keeping a hand on the wheel, and passed to her. She searched for Dean's number and her thumb hovered over the "Call" icon with a bit of doubt. She glanced at Castiel and his expression was the same. She touched the icon and put the phone to her ear, waiting anxiously.

"Hey Gadreel, kept your promise?" a familiar voice asked and Anne felt her muscles tense at the tone of his voice. However, it also annoyed her. What did he mean? Then, she remembered that Gadreel had told Dean that he would explain after he speaks to Castiel, only he never did. They were all just so worried about the baby that they completely forgot to consider the Winchesters.

"Keep that tone and this phone call is gonna end quickly." She said and he remained silent, as if stunned. She just couldn't hold back her anger, even if Dean didn't really deserve it.

"Anne." He said, revealing his surprise and maybe even a little guilt. "How are you?" he asked with a little more compassion.

"I don't know how to answer that, Dean." she said and paused, not sure how to explain it all. "First, I'm sorry for everything bad between us. Second, I'm sorry for what I'm about to ask. We need to lay low in your bunker, for the baby's sake." She said and paused again with uncertainty.

"Yeah, of course. But what happened?" he asked and she remained silent, trying to force herself to just talk and not think about it.

"The angels want to destroy all hybrids and my baby is a Nephilim. It's complicated, I know. But Metatron will find out and we need all the help we can get." she said, not being able to hide her worry. "I'm sorry for coming to you again with my bullshit." She said and let out a small laugh, as if trying to lighten her mood with humor again, but it really wasn't working out well.

"It's not bullshit, Anne." He said and his calm voice made her feel like she was hearing a side of Dean she hadn't realized existed. He wasn't the rough and tough guy she thought him to be; he was decent and caring. "How soon can you get here?" he asked her and she actually smiled a little.

"We're already on our way. Gadreel's speeding." She said and let out a small laugh as she felt relieved and also a little guilty asking for help when she was on her way to the Winchesters. "Oh, and I'm followed by a Hellhound." She said and listened to a small pause of silence.

"Okay." He said, sounding like he didn't know what to say or didn't want to ask.

"Thanks Dean. I can't say it enough." She said. "That and sorry." She added and he sighed a little.

"Stop apologizing. If anyone is sorry, it's me. I was a dick and I made you feel reluctant to call for help." He said and remained silent. Anne felt guilty, but smiled in a sort of sad manner.

"Then we clean the slate and start over." She said and waited a brief moment for Dean's response.

"Sounds good." He said and she assured him they would be there soon before hanging up. She felt better having called Dean and making an amends. She glanced up at Gadreel and her mother, smiling with relief. They also seemed comforted and the atmosphere in the car was calmer. When she glanced at Castiel, he gave her a slight reassuring smile, as if telling her that everything was going to be alright.

When she sat back and relaxed, Castiel did the same, but it wasn't relaxed. He didn't want to ruin Anne's mood by making her worried again, although she should have known.

He could hear the angels talking about Jane's death. The first hybrid as been killed and the hunt persists from what he hears. Metatron is guiding Micah to another hybrid and Castiel is certain that it isn't Anne's baby. It wasn't strong enough to attract Metatron's attention and it sounded like he was even going in the opposite direction. Wherever Metatron was going, it made Castiel certain that he was indeed up to his old tricks.

Castiel decided to tell Anne and Gadreel about Jane's death when they got to the bunker where they would feel safe. Out on the open road would only make them panic.


	56. Extreme

The song here is "Extreme" by Valora

 **Extreme**

Gabriel didn't want to actually appear in Gadreel's bookstore, not wanting to freak him out, so he just dropped the phone with a note. It was effortlessly. He was back beside Clara in a second and listened to her conversation with Anne.

As he had looked at Clara, he thought of the first time he had seen her. She was just a baby in her crib and, looking down at this innocent infant, she was goodness. He didn't see evil like the angels believed her to be. Sure, she's powerful and fierce, but he was right: there is good in her. She cares for her human relatives, for her daughter, for Crowley and the demons nearest to her. Maybe even for the Archangel that annoyed her by being in her home.

He'd like to think that she liked him.

As he looked at Clara, he knew he was right because although she's the big bad Queen of Hell, the only thing she did was kill the angels that threatened to attack her and her daughter at her most vulnerable. He didn't blame her; she was simply being a protective mother. Everything she did behind her title and her demonic side never proved her to be as evil as the angels had claimed her to be.

Had she unleashed an apocalypse? No, she threatened it once, but it never happened. Had she raged war on Heaven and Earth? No, and he doubted she would, unless harm comes to those she loves.

When Clara had ended her phone call, she glanced at him and frowned. She didn't know why he was staring at her and she didn't like it.

Keara had approached, curious to what else Gabriel could create. She wanted to play with a tiger and she begged for it. He was happy to entertain her. Her unicorn morphed into a tiger, as she wished. As she shrieked and cuddled against it as it washed it's large paws, he knew that Keara wasn't a spoil child that wasn't happy with what she had; she was a little girl that wanted to explore the world around her and wanted to realize her dreams.

The best had been looking at Clara and seeing a smile on her face as she watched Keara.

But that had been interrupted when he heard something disturbing. The angels were talking about the Nephilim's death at the hands of Micah. They were praising Metatron which was the most sickening part about it.

He glanced at Clara and just mentioned it casually. All content vanished from her face and when she met his eyes, she seemed worried. The angels had killed a hybrid and it was very clear that they were out to kill them all.

It was then that Crowley and Nikolai had returned and they didn't seem very thrilled.

"Keara, why don't you go to your room with Gabriel and your tiger while your father, Nikolai and I talk." She said and Keara smiled and quickly did as she was told, being followed by the illusion of a tiger and Ginger, the Hellhound.

Gabriel gave her a small smile and followed Keara, taking out some candy from his pockets.

Crowley and Nikolai walked into the mansion with a mixture of satisfaction and irritation. Clara approached Crowley and stroked his face, sensing his rage and wanted him to share it with her so he could relax.

"Tortured Stephanie." He said and she gave a slight smile. "Still nothing. However, this rebellion isn't directly targeting me." he said and she gave a slight nod.

"But this is about removing you from the throne." Clara said, that being the only thing she was certain of.

"Naturally." Crowley replied, his expression hard as if this was finally taking its toll on him. His usual demeanor wasn't there. "All were unwilling to spill their guts out to me. Either they've become more tolerant to my torture or," he said with a slight pause. "It pains me to think it," he added with yet another slight pause. "I've lost my touch." He concluded and Clara placed her hands on his shoulders as she closed the gap between them, managing her darkest smirk.

"Whatever they're hiding, it's highly important to them, which means this is as big as we know it to be." She said and the corner of his lips twitched as if to say that he appreciated her support in his small ego bruising. "They're all willing to die and bear the worst agonizing pain known to the definition of pain." She began and grinned at Crowley's arched eyebrow, as if saying that was trying a little too hard to boost his confidence. "So who do they want as King?" she asked and they stared at each other in silence. "Must be someone of great value." She said and he looked at her oddly.

At that moment, Clara noticed a sort of distant expression in his eyes, as if his attention was elsewhere. Of course, before she could ask why he had looked at her oddly.

"Crowley?" she asked and that expression remained in his eyes.

"Checking in on Hector, the crossroad demon." he said and then she understood that he was seeing through the eyes of a Hellhound. "He claimed he didn't know what the little whore was scheming." He added.

"What do you see?" she asked as she glanced over at Nikolai. He watched them and seemed fine, but it made her wonder if he was hiding his itch again. If he suspected what she was thinking, he didn't reveal it, not that she felt confidant to notice.

"I admire his inquisition tactics." He said and she grinned, imagining that Hector was probably beating his crossroad demons for answers. "It would appear that he shares my abhor for this rebellion." He added and Clara smiled.

"Good then." She said and then heard a ringtone. She glanced at Nikolai who was taking out a cell phone. He looked at it and held it out to her.

"This is Crowley's phone." He said and that distant expression disappeared from Crowley's eyes before he turned to Nikolai. "We now have joined the twenty-first Century." He added and Crowley took the phone from his hand with a slight bored expression. He slid his thumb across the screen and brought the phone to his ear.

"Nerilla, haven't heard from you in quite a while." He said and listened. Clara could faintly hear her voice, but it was enough to make certain words like "activity" and "lead". She glanced at Crowley and his expression seemed blank, but she knew whatever she was saying seemed to brighten his mood.

She glanced at Nikolai and he seemed anxious to hear the news as much as her.

Crowley placed the phone in his pocket and then met her eyes with his usual smug grin.

"It seems the traitorous demons are the ones to not see _us_ coming." He said and they felt a slight glimpse of victory. "She has hellhounds watching everywhere. Some demons have been caught whispering about Stephanie's absence, calling it a possible failure." He added and Clara smiled darkly with satisfaction.

"I hope we can torture them for information." She said and Crowley flashed a dark grin before kissing her like he was proud.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Darling." He said and then kissed her again. When he pulled back and looked into her eyes, that odd expression was there once more. "First, I would like to come back to your question." He said and she gave him a slight nod. "The first demon I tortured for information, the first one to tip us off about the rebellion." He said and she nodded again with a slight frown, wanting him to get to the point. "Remember what he said?" he asked and she had to think about it.

When she remembered, her eyes widened and she stared at Crowley with a mixture of disbelief and irritation.

"Lucifer." She said and he simply stared at her, nodding slightly and twitching his lips as if he agreed with her. "They want Lucifer to take back Hell?" she asked.

"Let us see." he said with darkness in his eyes.


	57. Bad Blood

The song here is "Bad Blood" by Bastille

 **Bad Blood**

So far, phase two wasn't showing much promise, despite Jesse trying not to show his disappointment. No one had heard from Stephanie or this witch that she was supposed to recruit, the witch suggested by Chrissy. Not even the plans to scare Clara's relatives in order to draw her out of Hell and away from Crowley was in progress; if they were going to spread everyone out thinly in order to have complete access to their destination, they needed both plans to work at the same time. They could only terrorize Clara's relatives once they had the witch where they wanted her.

However, he was considering on moving along with phase two, without Crowley's witchy mommy, since one demon claimed he had been watching Clara's relative and had reported some intriguing news. She was a Wiccan shacked up with a fallen angel and pregnant with a Nephilim, a half angel and half human hybrid. That sounded just too good to ignore. Jesse never imagined there being such a hybrid.

He always thought he was unique, until he found out about Clara. Now a Nephilim?

Hal walked up to Jesse who sat in his chair looking grim and cleared his throat. Jesse barely looked up at him.

"Hate to nag you, but you need to stop looking like your date died before you could get laid." He said and then Jesse looked up at him with a frown. "You need to calm them down before they all have hissy fits. They believe Crowley is onto our plan." Hal concluded and then Jesse glanced at the demons. Some were having hushed conversations, looking suspiciously worried.

"Still nothing from Stephanie?" he asked and Hal shook his head.

"Some of our eyes and ears in Hell haven't found any trace of her. Nothing has located her. She up and vanished like only a dead demon can." Hal said and Jesse narrowed his eyes at him. "Hence why they think Crowley is onto us. He may have found her and killed her. Our witch might as well be dead too." He concluded and Jesse sighed, not really knowing what he could do.

"You believe he would kill his mother?" Jesse asked and Hal let out a chuckle.

"Years of abandonment issues? Yeah, that and the bloodiest torture in the history of Hell." He replied with certainty.

Yeah, Jesse was certain that phase two might just have to include Clara's relative and how well would that work? Crowley would still be on guard. And what if Crowley really had figured it out? What was Jesse supposed to do? The only thing he could think of is fight their way to their destination and that was pretty much a suicide mission. But they might not have the time to do any better.

At that moment, there was a commotion amongst the demons. Jesse immediately stood up and went to investigate with Hal behind him. The demons all stepped back and then stood in place with menacing glares. When Jesse followed their gaze, he understood why.

There were two guys that obviously weren't demon or human, Jesse was certain of that.

"Here's your hybrid." Said the older version of the forty year old virgin to the younger man looking like someone who had no personality. "Not what you had in mind, I know, but I knew you'd still be interested." He concluded.

"You." The younger boring angel said as he narrowed his eyes. Jesse didn't know him, but he felt like this guy was an enemy in an unexplainable way. He'd like to say he was an angel, but he couldn't be entirely sure.

"Angels." Hal said and Jesse was right to think that's what they were. It had been years since he last encountered one. Only now, he was reduced to nothing but a teenage boy. Luckily, he had a few friends.

"Jesse Turner, the acclaimed Anti-Christ during Lucifer's rising." The boring angel said with a sharp coldness in his eyes. Were angels always this angry?

"And you are?" Jesse asked and Hal let out a laugh.

"Surrounded by demons." He said with a dark grin. "You'd be stupid to attack." He added and the demons smirked in agreement.

"I am here for the Cambion. This does not concern you." The angels said as he glanced at the demons. Hal laughed and the angel stared at him with his sharp glare.

"Yeah, like that'll work." Hal said and the demons all sneered at the angels. "You and Grandpa gonna blast your way to _our_ Cambion kid?" Hal asked and the demons blinked their eyes black, just staring at the angels. "Killing this kid isn't happening, so leave before I stick an angel blade up your ass." He concluded and the angel seemed angry, but the other one seemed strangely calm.

"Why are you here to kill me?" Jesse asked and the angel met his gaze and his expression didn't change. It was probably a stupid question, but he had to know. It seemed that only now that he was conspiring with demons some angels come to kill him. If he was such a threat, why didn't they go looking for him after he disappeared?

"Hybrids are abominations that upset the balance." He said and Jesse looked at Hal with an expression of slight confusion.

"Is that a fancy way of saying that I'm a threat?" he asked and Hal nodded his head casually. Jesse looked back at the angel and just had to ask another question. "All hybrids? Cambions and Nephilims?" The angel's expression didn't change, which wasn't surprising.

"Yes. However there is no Nephilim now." He said and looked proud and intimidating, which he wasn't. Jesse had an idea brewing in his mind and he couldn't help but grin. He had no time to think about it, he just followed his instinct.

"You sure about that?" he asked and the older angel frowned as if that offended his intelligence. "A little snake told me about a Nephilim yet to be born." He said and the younger angel seemed slightly baffled. "I'll tell you more if you let me help you kill the Queen of Hell. Trust me, Feather Brain, you'll need our help to get in and you'll need us to take care of Crowley and the demon that wears the Mark of Cain." He said and the demons turned to him as if they didn't understand why he had changed their big plans. However, they remained silent, trusting that Jesse knew what he was doing.

The angels seemed uncertain, but the eldest one nodded and smiled.

"Done." He said and Jesse just grinned at his expression. He knew they still had the intention of killing him, but hopefully that wouldn't be a problem anymore.

"The Queen has a human relative by the name of Anne Cromwell. She's pregnant with a fallen angel's hybrid baby. Gadreel I believe." Jesse said and shortly after, the angels vanished without a word or exchanged glances. They might not trust Jesse and his demons, but he knew they would gladly do business with them.


	58. Heaven Coming Down

The song here is "Heaven Coming Down" by the Tea Party

 **Heaven Coming Down**

Anne fell asleep during the ride, but when she opened her eyes, the sky was an orange color, making her unsure of just what time it was. But she was sure that they were nearly at the Men of Letters. Just a few more roads and they'd be there. She felt so relieved and stressed at the same time; how cruel time could be when it was too slow when you needed it to be faster.

She glanced over at Gadreel and took comfort knowing that he felt the same way she did. He continued to grip the steering wheel like he was considering on speeding even more just to get there in the next second. He was just as anxious as she was.

"We're almost there." She said and he glanced over at her with a bit of relief in his eyes.

They turned down those roads and when the bunker was in view, they couldn't wait to get in there. The garage door opened and they drove inside, making Anne remember when she had left with Gadreel to meet with Crowley. She cast a spell so they could drive her car out without making noise that would wake the brothers up.

They drove down into the garage and were now completely relieved knowing they were in the safest place. Gadreel hadn't yet stopped the engine of her car when she opened the passenger door and got out.

Sam approached as Dean had closed the garage door. He smiled at the expression of relief on her face and, without thinking about it, she sort of threw her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Thanks." She said and when she pulled back, he seemed a little uneasy, but he was the friendliest face she knew.

"No problem." He said and helped Gadreel and Viviane with the luggage. Anne remained in place as Dean approached her. He looked like he sounded on the phone; slightly guilty and unable to really discuss his emotions. He gave her a small smile and this seemed awkward for him. "Hi, I'm Anne Cromwell." She said and that made him smile more. She extended her arms and he allowed for them to hug it out a little.

When he pulled back, he grabbed a couple of bags and then looked at her with a little grin.

"Everything but the kitchen sink?" he asked her and she let out a small laugh.

"Almost took that too." She joked and they all left the garage, going into the corridors of the Men of Letters' bunker. It hadn't changed from the last time they were there.

The brothers brought them to some empty rooms and Anne let out a small laugh. They were giving her the same room as last time.

"I get my old room back?" she asked and Sam smiled, chucking a little too.

"We thought you might want it. But if you want another room, it's no problem." He said and she smiled as she tapped his arm.

"This is fine, thanks." She said and walked inside with Gadreel behind her. She heard Sam offer Viviane the same room she had last time and Dean helped her with her bags. Anne sighed and Gadreel turned to her, automatically hugging her tightly.

"We'll be safe." He said and she could feel him relax. Of course he was still worried, but it wasn't driving him insane.

"You think the angels won't hurt our baby knowing that Ezekiel resurrected me?" she asked and he pulled back enough to look her straight in her eyes. His expression seemed hard, like the uncertainty weighted on his shoulders like the worry he had for their child, but he smiled softly at her with hope.

"Gabriel wouldn't have suggested it if he didn't believe it." he said and she frowned in confusion, which broadened his smile. "Gabriel is the last Archangel. Castiel sought out his help, but Gabriel's never been one to take part in conflicts." He added and she simply nodded.

She stared at him in silence with a soft smile. Gadreel was the best thing that ever came into her life. He had given her so much; happiness, relief from loneliness, love… best of all, a baby. She would fight with everything she had to keep the life she had with him. And she couldn't get her mind off of all this with the angels, with Ezekiel and the mystery of how she got his grace. That bothered her most of all because _no one_ knew anything about it.

"Who do you think had placed your grace in me?" she asked and he smiled sadly, knowing that this still bothered her. Castiel just assumed that it was Ezekiel, but it didn't fit the time line, thus raising some questions.

"We'll find out when all this is over." he said and she nodded, satisfied with his answer. "How about we get something to eat? Leave our bags for later and then get some much deserved sleep?" he asked and she smiled.

"I really should. Our poor baby must think I'm starving him or her." she said and Gadreel smiled and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

Together they left the room and walked down the corridors to find the kitchen.

 **So the little talk about who placed Gadreel's grace in Anne is my way of saying that I figured it all out, I fixed a loop hole, a while back actually. However, I'm saving that for later, ha! Thanks for the support! Lots of love!**


	59. Dance with the Devil

The song here is "Dance with the Devil" by Breaking Benjamin

 **Dance with the Devil**

Crowley told Nerilla that he wanted those demons in his grasp, but only when they were isolated from the others. He wanted them to vanish without leaving any trace of who took them. For that, the Hellhounds might make too much noise. He turned to Nikolai and made a request for more burlap sacks with the sigils burned into them. Crowley wanted something that would keep their captives quiet and helpless.

Nikolai was all too happy to comply.

Crowley insisted that Clara rest and spend time with their daughter. The last thing he wanted was for Keara to be afraid of what was going on. Clara doubted that would ever happen, since Gabriel was very good at entertaining her with illusions, but accepted knowing that Crowley was a little stressed out.

He waited in the torture room while Nikolai, Nerilla and Kelley waited in the shadows with those burlap sacks, hiding well by darkness and additional sigils. No demon would know what happened to these traitors. In the meanwhile, his mind swirled around the being still in those cells. She was dragged down along with Stephanie and the traitorous demons. She was human, but that wasn't all he sensed. He had told Nikolai to leave her there and that he would deal with her, but part of him was uncertain.

Uncertainty crept up on him because he had a suspicion who that human could be, but he refused to give it a second more of this precious attention.

Crowley prepared the tools and even conjured another metal slab. This time, he was going to torture with all the traitors in one room. They could watch their comrade be tortured knowing they were next. It could motivate them to talk.

When he was ready, his loyal demons returned just in time with the captives. They caught the two that Nerilla had seen talking about Stephanie's disappearance. It appeared they were the ones that knew quite a bit about the wench.

Nikolai shoved one demon onto the main metal slab while Nerilla and Kelley threw the second demon on the new slab. The traitors were immediately strapped in and only then the burlap sacks were removed. They seemed slightly more frightened than the others had been, making Crowley confident that they would be more willing to tell him everything that they know.

Nikolai stepped out of the room and, soon, Nerilla and Kelley left as well, returning to the office in order to keep their eyes on more activity.

The captives quivered when they saw Crowley sharpening tools that already seemed menacingly sharp. He stared at them with a cold and bone chilling smile and then looked at the knife with a dark grin.

"So, who would like to go first?" he asked and looked down at the demons with that same grin.

"I know nothing. Torture the other one. He knows everything." the second demon said and then it became a blame game. If they weren't strapped down, they'd be pointing the finger at each other.

"Here's what I'll do," Crowley said and the squabbling demons fell silent. "I'll torture you both at the same time, give you a small break to think about telling me everything you know." He said and the first demon was quick to grow a backbone.

"We'll never talk, Crowley. Torture me first, I don't care. You'll go down not knowing a single detail of what's about to happen." He said and Crowley just smiled.

"The same to you, Sweet Cakes." Crowley said and turned to the second demon, commencing the torture with a simple cut, peal and pour of some Holy water. The first demon could only watch, knowing he'd be next, clinging onto that ridiculous stubborn belief that he could take the torture and remain silent.

The second demon was begging not to be tortured while being yelled at by the first demon.

"Shut up! If you speak a word, I'll kill you." It said, but that threat was futile. The second demon knew that the other one was just as helpless. The only way to get out from under the knife was to talk.

Crowley could see in indecision in his eyes as he cut into him and poured holy water. He would scream and the indecision in his eyes intensified as he looked around like an animal in panic. Then, having the other one threatening him didn't help. Naturally, Crowley knew this was building up nicely to the point where the demon would be talking like his personal puppet.

"Come torture me, you coward." The first demon shouted.

"Be with you in a second." Crowley said calmly as he continued torturing the panicked demon. He was about to snap and Crowley just continued, digging deeper and cutting harsher.

"Enough!" the second demon screamed and then whimpered as Crowley momentarily stopped. "Please, stop." The demon said, trembling.

"What for?" Crowley asked and the demon remained silent, still indecisive.

"Shut up!" the other demon said.

Crowley casually walked away to the counter, poured holy water onto a cloth until it was dripping and then turned to the screaming demon. He continued to demand the other one to remain silent and then tried to convince Crowley that he would never talk, but Crowley fixed him by shoving the holy water soaked cloth deep into his throat to keep _him_ silent while the other out spills the beans.

He turned back to the hopefully Chatty Cathy with a dark smile.

"Now, where were we?" Crowley asked him and the demon trembled despite not looking so panicked. The demon seemed uncertain, but started to mumble.

"I said stop and you asked why." he said with fear.

"Ah, yes." Crowley said and then held the knife up, staring at it. "I would hope you have some information for me." he added and the demon still seemed indecisive. "If not, you're interrupting me." he concluded and went to bring the knife down when the demon struggled against the restraints and whimpered.

"No. I have information." He said and Crowley hesitated. "I know why Stephanie went into hiding." He said and Crowley met his eyes with a cold stare.

The other demon managed to make groaning sounds as he struggled against the restraints, but it didn't have as big of an impact as yelling and threatening.

Crowley waited, but the demon didn't seem ready to talk just yet. So he decided to do something different. He turned to the other demon and began cutting into him, only this time he poured in salt.

"What are you doing?" he asked Crowley with that fear still in his voice.

"You insisted that he knew more. I believe you, thus I'm torturing him." Crowley replied and the demon whimpered as he watched the torture unfold.


	60. The Night

The song here is "The Night" by Heart

 **The Night**

Nikolai could hear everything and, surprisingly, the Mark of Cain wasn't itchy. Maybe his theory was correct; that disorder caused it to itch. Since Crowley was torturing for information, taking traitors out and dealing with them, he seemed to be dealing with the disorder, making the itch decrease.

He pulled up his sleeve and looked at it, not sure whether he still liked it. What if one day he would be like Cain? He wouldn't be like Dean, that he was sure of; Dean was human.

He was disturbed when someone stepped into the hallway and he looked up to see Kelley.

"Hello, Sir." Kelley said and he let out a laugh that stunned her.

"Oh, please don't say that again." he said and she smiled. "Just Nikolai will do perfectly." He added and she nodded. "How you like the job?" he asked and her smile brightened.

"Hector was cold, which was cool, but Nerilla is hard." Kelley said and Nikolai titled his head, not sure he understood correctly. "I so love that the King and Queen saw fit to give me a second chance. I'm a Sergeant!" she said and clapped her hands. Nikolai kept his head titled and then she noticed with a frown. "What?" she asked him.

"Are you really a demon? You're too… happy." He said and slowly she smiled, blinking her eyes black.

"But when I'm angry, I'm crazy." She said and she blinked her black eyes away and smiled innocently at him. He let out a laugh and nodded.

"Good to know." He said and then narrowed his eyes at her. "You didn't come here just to chat with the most dashing Knight of Hell." He said and she arched an eyebrow at him with a grin.

"Wow, Nerilla wasn't bullshitting about your ego." She said and he smirked. "I came for an update on Hector." She said and Nikolai nodded.

"He's good." He said and then lowered his voice to a whisper. "The others are dead and Stephanie's in her cell, mangled." He said and she nodded like she was pretending to care.

"Yeah, thanks. I would like a little more on Hector. Just "good" won't be good enough for Nerilla." She said and Nikolai smirked as he grunted.

"He's got a bruised ego and wants to look good, so he's mad that one of his demons snuck out and misbehaved while he knew shit about it. He's not a problem we have to worry about." He said and looked at her with a playful glare. "Better?" he asked and she smiled.

"Thank you." She replied and was about to turn and walk away, but stopped and turned back to him. "Any update on Gavin?" she asked and Nikolai titled his head at her with an arched eyebrow.

"You really like him." he said and she nodded with a shy smile.

"I know what everyone thinks." She said, losing her smile and looking a little angry. "A demon liking a human? But Gavin is shy, awkward, funny and innocent. I like to dangle promises in front of people that are full of those classic Deadly Sins, but Gavin is a breath of fresh air." She said and her eyes became distant. "I guess he reminds me of what I used to be." She added and that smile slowly began to return to her face, brightening her eyes. "I didn't want to hurt him." she said and when she looked at Nikolai, her eyes became hard. "Does that make me a weak demon?" she asked him and he smiled.

He thought of Crowley and his past blood addiction as well as his relationship with Clara, then having a daughter. He thought of Nerilla and her relationship with Gabriel and then he thought of himself, taking orders from his King and Queen despite that he's the most powerful due to the Mark.

He thought of all the demons that had tormented the Winchesters and who met their deaths. They were cruel and wicked, true demons. Azazel was inspirational. Alastair was the image that all demons aspired to become; he was a rock star. Lilith and Abaddon were the icons of total badass demons. Next, there was Ruby that wanted to be like them. But then he thought of Meg and her secret feelings for Castiel near the end of her existence.

What made a demon true to their wicked nature? What made a demon weak? It was hard to tell. As he looked at Kelley, he started to wonder if there was a new demon evolution, one where they were allowed to care about something. Maybe having Clara as their Queen allowed them to feel a little human, knowing that it was okay.

He wasn't sure, but he still smiled at Kelley.

"You know what kid," he began, making her frown in confusion. "We're the top demons in Hell; we get to make the rules. Crowley and Clara are the revolution that Hell needs; they free us from the demon archetypes. You like Gavin? Good; means you fit in. We all have someone we care about and that makes us strong demons because, for once, we're fighting for something other than someone else's ideology of Hell." He said, surprised at the tone of conviction he had used, and then realized that he had balled his hands into fists.

As he relaxed, Kelley looked at him with a blank expression, but then she smiled and nodded her head.

"I like that." She said as her smiled broadened. Was she going to laugh because it looked like she was about to burst into laughter? However, she just glowed with that smile; indeed a happy demon. Nikolai shook his head and tried to brush the whole situation off.

At that moment, Crowley opened the door to reveal the mangled bodies on the metal slabs, twitching like they were trying to escape, but too much in agonizing pain to move.

"Take these two and lock them up." Crowley said and only one demon whimpered as the other seemed to be choking. Nikolai nodded and grabbed the burlap sacks from the counter, giving one to Kelley.

Nikolai had to teleport them again, which would leave him with a slightly weird dizzy feeling, since he had to teleport Kelley too. When they appeared in the corridor of cells, he opened up a couple and threw the captives in, closing the doors without a word or any emotion.

Kelley looked at him with a smile, like she was having fun being teleported. Nikolai grunted and then brought her back to the torture room. Crowley started speaking the second they showed up and gestured for Kelley to return to the office and then to Nikolai to follow him.

"See you, Nikolai." She said and turned down towards the office.

"Whoever is behind this charade knows to cover their tracks." Crowley said and Nikolai nodded as he listened. "All those demons knew if that Stephanie went into hiding, not to protect herself, but the mastermind." He added and Nikolai could see he was getting frustrated, not that he was angry that he didn't have any leads, but he was annoyed to a point of irritation. "You may do what you please, but I'd prefer you to stay with my girls. I will investigate the last of our captives." He said and Nikolai knew that meant the non-demon being that was brought along with Stephanie and her demons.

"Sure." Nikolai said and walked back to the mansion, not asking why Crowley was doing this on his own. Whatever reasons he had, one had to be that he had an idea who this non-demon could be.


	61. Arise

The song here is "Arise" by Flyleaf

 **Arise**

Clara walked into the mansion and she could immediately hear some laughter coming from the back rooms. She closed the door and walked throughout the mansion to Keara's room. Outside of her room, Ginger sat up and gave a soft growl as Clara approached. She scratched her head and pushed the door open to see Keara and Gabriel drawing at her small table.

They looked up at her and smiled. Immediately, Keara held up her drawing which wasn't yet finished.

"This is you, Mommy." She said and pointed to a very elegantly dressed stick figure. Well, it had evolved from a stick figure, but it was similar. "This is Daddy." She said and pointed to a shorter and slightly plumper figure dressed in black with red eyes. Clara tried not to smirk. Keara pointed to Nikolai with the First Blade, Nerilla who looked normal, Ginger who looked like a big Great Dane, and then to Gabriel with large wings behind him and a bag of candy. What was adorable was that the background was a park with a rainbow in the sky, as if they were a bunch of happy characters.

"It's beautiful." Clara said and sat down in the chair next to Keara. "I love my dress, thank you." She said and Keara giggled.

"And you, Gabriel?" she asked and he held up his drawing with a grin. It was a caricature of Nikolai pouting and being ignored while Keara was playing with Gabriel, both of them laughing. She looked at Gabriel and his grin broadened.

"Anything to get under his skin." She said and he placed it down to show her another caricature he had done. It was of her and Crowley, only he was short and grumpy while she was like Jessica Rabbit. "Funny." Clara said with a slight smirk as Gabriel pushed his drawings aside to watch Keara.

"She's the real little artist." He said and Clara stared at him with a slight smile. There was no doubt he cared for her and her daughter. His eyes sparkled as he looked at Keara. Maybe that would change once he saw the demon in her, but, judging from her own experience with him, his intentions of protecting Keara would never change. Gabriel could never ignore the human side in a Cambion.

When he met her eyes, it was like looking at a friend; any rage she had felt towards him no longer existed.

"How's it going? He asked her and she knew what he meant. Clara nodded her head with a twitch in the corner of her lips.

"It could be better." She said and hesitated in telling him everything, but decided to blurt it out since he had gained her trust. "I believe this all boils down to your brother." She said and his expression was difficult to read, but he looked down and all mischief vanished.

"Lucifer?" Keara asked and Clara glanced at her and then back at Gabriel. He met her eyes and gave a small grin. "Gabriel told me about him." she added and continued drawing like nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Tell me he can't get out." Clara said and his lips twitched as if he was fighting a grin. Yes, she just let him off the hook for telling her daughter about Lucifer.

"It'll be very difficult, since the seals have already been broken; they can't be replaced. However, his cage probably would be easier to open in Hell." He said, which made her eyes go dull with disappointment. "Whoever wants to open his cage is going to have to be powerful or else it could kill them. You know, that typical story." He added and she glared at him.

It was disturbing and it made Clara wonder if that's why the demons were so determined that she be with Lucifer. It wasn't that they wanted her to remain Queen; they wanted her to release him since she was the most powerful creature in Hell. Sadly, at this point, it's all speculation. She couldn't be sure of it all, but it did make sense.

"Whoa." Gabriel said and when Clara looked at him, she could see that something was wrong. Then, she could hear the howl of her Hellhounds and she began to see through the eyes of one, but the image was blurry. "Anne's in trouble." He added and when she snapped out of the head of the Hellhound, her eyes began to glimmer darkly with anger.

At that moment, Nikolai walked into the room and didn't have the chance to ask what was going on before Clara hooked her arm through his and vanished.

Keara stared at the spot where her mother had been and then glanced at Gabriel.

"She'll be okay." He said and she smiled, but she seemed a little sad.

"Mommy doesn't talk much about Aunty Anne and Uncle Gadreel." She said and Gabriel smiled, finding it adorable how she referred to them. "Are they okay?" she asked and he hesitated. It was probably best that he didn't say too much.

"What do you know about your Aunty Anne?" Gabriel asked and Keara told him how Anne had helped Clara during her pregnancy, then how Clara resurrected Viviane because she knew Anne deserved the mother she would have liked to have had. Then, she knew Gadreel had been a good angel that had given his grace for the greater good.

Gabriel nodded and felt it was better to leave it at that; he didn't want to scare her.

"They're fine." He replied and stared at her smile.


	62. Missing

The song here is "Missing" by Evanescence

 **Missing**

They had gotten something to eat and were about to rest their exhausted bones. They were so drained from the worry and the stress that they were virtually sleeping while standing. They were ready to have some much deserved restful sleep, but that all came to a screeching halt when a bone chilling piercing howl erupted outside of the Men of Letters' bunker.

Everyone gathered at the bottom of the entrance spiral staircase, looking up at the front door. There was no way any angel or demon could get through, not with all the sigils they had plastered on the walls, including the door itself. However, something was out there.

Not long after the howl of a Hellhound, another eerily joined in, making it sound like one Hell of a possessed dog howling with two distinct vocals, but both parallel, hence why it sounded like one hound.

Anne buried herself in Gadreel's arms, feeling that stress hit her like harsh waves of an angry storm. She couldn't hold the tears back as she felt overwhelmed and afraid. She couldn't even cast a spell because she was too shaken up to think of one or focus on it. If it wasn't for Gadreel holding her tightly against him, she'd be a mess.

The howls continued and then they could count at least four Hellhounds. It had to be Metatron out there if one Hellhound suddenly became four. Was Clara sending more rather than staying true to her promise? Was it someone other than Metatron?

Anne began to tremble with uncertainty which was like fuel to the fire that was her stress.

"I shall go out there." Castiel said and the Winchesters knew that if he left, he'd damage the sigils. They would have to let him out through the front door which could give Metatron that chance to infiltrate the bunker. However, when Castiel glanced at them, they knew there was no arguing. They would have to be careful.

Dean followed him up the stairs to the door and slowly opened it, glancing at Castiel as if they were making sure this was done quickly. As soon as the door was slightly open, it was violently kicked in and both Dean and Castiel flew back, over the railing, and about to fall to the floor.

Anne screamed and held her hands out, focusing all her concentration on slowing them down. At the same time, a small glow erupted from her hands and both landed on their backs. They quickly glanced at her with stunned expressions, but they had to time to admire her newfound power.

Two angels walked in and Gadreel quickly shielded Anne with a fierce glare.

"Gadreel." The younger one said.

"Micah, please." Castiel said as he stood up, standing by Gadreel.

Viviane rushed over and wrapped her arms around her daughter, glaring at the angels with loathe in her eyes.

"Hellhounds will not stop me." Micah said and then his face paled and that authoritative expression on his face vanished.

"But we will." Said a female voice and when they all turned to look, Anne exhaled with relief. There stood Clara and a man with a mark on his arm.

"Cambion." Micah said and she narrowed her eyes at him; they even shifted to pitch black and her lips nearly curled back into a snarl.

"Don't forget Knight of Hell," Nikolai said. "And the Mark of Cain." He added as he rolled up his sleeve to better reveal it. He smiled darkly at the angels and noticed out of the corner of his eyes that Dean had looked away as his shoulders tensed.

"You will not interrupt my mission." Micah said with conviction, but Clara let out a cold laugh.

"The angel that tried to kill me." she said and he remained silent. "Didn't think I would recognize you again?" she asked and her eyes remained black as she sneered at him. "Coming here is your mistake." She said and Micah tried to look unbothered.

"Hybrids must be eliminated. I will not spare your relative's child." Micah said and she growled at him, which made the hunters uneasy. "You and your child will be next." He added and everyone tensed as if they knew that would warrant for Clara to unleash her power.

However, Castiel remained hopeful that he could solve this without violence.

"Please, we must talk rather than fight." Castiel said and then the darkness vanished from Clara's eyes as she approached, glancing at Anne.

"Please." Gadreel said, nearly in a whisper. "There is something we must try first." He added and Clara nodded, then glared up at the angels.

"If they move, I'm killing them." She said and the older angel smiled at her.

"You can try." Metatron said and she grinned at him. "Although, I must tell you that I warned Micah about including you and your daughter in his plans." He said and everyone looked up at him with angry confused expressions. Before he could say more, his lips began to bleed. He groaned, but his lips were sealed and then they were stitched closed. It was gruesome and the hunters could only guess one being responsible for that; they turned and saw Clara smiling darkly.

"If I want shit from you, I'll squeeze your head, Metatron." she said and then glared at Micah again who seemed a little more unnerved now that Metatron literally had his lips sealed by the Cambion Queen of Hell. "And you better listen to what they have to say." She concluded.

"Micah, please." Gadreel said, trying to look as empathetic as he could despite the highly stressful situation at hand. "You must listen to what I have to say before you do something rash." He said and Micah remained still and silent, as if waiting. "You cannot harm our child. Anne was resurrected some time ago by Ezekiel." He said and Micah sighed and shook his head.

"I will not listen to nonsense." He said and approached the stairs, but Gadreel's voice took on a tone of desperation.

"It's true! Ezekiel gave her a second chance. She is the last great thing Ezekiel had done before his death. He was responsible for bringing us together, for giving us both a second chance, and out of this, we have our child." He said and Micah still seemed in doubt, but something caught everyone's attention, making them stunned and fearful at the same time.

An angel appeared behind Micah and Metatron and entered the bunker, looking at Gadreel. Another simply appeared on the stairs and then another beside Micah. Some more entered through the door and they nearly crowded around it.

"We will not believe your lies." Micah said and Clara sneered. "You are as bad as those demons you consort with." He added and glared at Clara and Nikolai.

"Why lie when the truth hurts far more?" Clara asked him and glanced at Anne reassuringly.

"We are not here to fight." One angel said as they turned to Micah. "We come to hear for ourselves what Gadreel has to say." She added and they all looked down at Gadreel, waiting.

Gadreel seemed stunned and afraid, but he gave a slight nod, gathering his strength and courage.

"When Anne died, she met an angel that offered her a task. He resurrected her with false memories so that she may one day come across a resurrected angel and help him to earn back his grace.

"That angel was me. Ezekiel brought us together so that we may help each other. He saw what we needed most. If it hadn't been for Ezekiel, Anne and I would not be together and we would not have a beautiful child." Gadreel said, but Micah frowned as he caught onto something illogical.

"Yes, together they opened Heaven." One angel said, glancing down at Gadreel and Anne with a sort of admiration. Micah ignored that statement, pointing out a flaw in their story.

"Ezekiel could not have brought you two together as you say, for he died long before you. This is a lie." He said and the angels seemed to agree that this didn't make sense, even if they believed Gadreel and Anne had saved their Home.

Then, Metatron began moaning and his eyes were wide open, staring at Clara. It seemed he had something to say. Clara sighed with annoyance and then allowed his stitches to break. It was just as gruesome as they just poked out of the skin like worms.

"It's true." He quickly said which confused everyone. "I know how Ezekiel died." He added and looked at Clara as if he knew she wanted to shut him up again. She sighed louder and gestured to him as if annoyed.

"On with it." she said and the angels turned their eyes at her as if they weren't impressed with her attitude towards their own, but were too afraid to show it.

"Angels can travel back into time. We know that if anything is altered, so is the present and future. However, when an angel goes forward into time and manipulates it, he defies the ultimate law of controlling the Fate that God had planned for Man and must pay the consequence." Metatron said and everyone still looked confused. "Ezekiel was the best because of what he knew. Next to me, he had the most knowledge. I must admit with shame and regret, but at the time I was unaware of this; Ezekiel knew what I was about to do. He knew how important Gadreel was going to be.

"Ezekiel defied the law of controlling Fate by going forward into time; taking Gadreel's grace at the time of his glorified sacrifice, then went back to Anne so that she may one day return his grace to him. Ezekiel paid the consequence with his life. He knew it and accepted it, giving Gadreel and Anne the second chance they deserved, with God's seal of approval." Metatron said and the angels simply stared at Gadreel and Anne with blank expressions, but they seemed enlightened.

"God's seal of approval?" Clara asked and it was only then that the hunters seemed to agree with her. Even the angels couldn't argue, none had seen God in ages. Despite that bit, to the hunters and the demons in the bunker listening to Metatron, they knew something didn't seem right. He was obviously up to something.

"They are his legacy." Castiel said and then Micah seemed incredibly put off.

"Using Ezekiel to protect your abomination." He said with disgust, but the angels turned to him and seemed unimpressed. Some even seemed horrified.

"We will not harm the last of Ezekiel's remembrance." One angel said with conviction. "He died so that these two may together help us from Metatron's spell. We shall honor all our great fallen compatriots." The angel added and they began disappearing one after the other. It was clear that the angels wouldn't harm Anne and the baby, but that still left Micah and Metatron, who seemed to realize that although the angels seemed to trust him, they haven't forgotten what he did.

"What will it be?" Clara asked Micah and he seemed angry, but hesitant.

"I shall restore the balance at any cost." He said as an angel blade fell out of his sleeve and into his hand.

"Wrong answer." Clara said and the Hellhounds howled once more. Before Micah could make a move, he was violently pulled to his knees and dragged out, losing the angel blade and clawing at the ground. Metatron then disappeared before Clara could decide to send Hellhounds on him, which didn't bother her. She had the angel she really wanted. Metatron would pop up again since he clearly had a secret agenda.

Clara walked around and turned to face Anne and Gadreel. She smiled and Anne quickly threw her arms around her in a tight hug. Clara seemed surprised, but hugged her back.

"Thank you." She said and Clara let out a small laugh.

"I'll keep my eyes on him." she said and when Anne pulled away, she seemed exhausted, but very much relieved. "Go rest, Anne." She said and smiled up at Gadreel.

"Thank you, Clara." He said and she playfully punched his shoulder.

"You're okay." She said as she watched him walk with Anne down a corridor, a protective arm around her waist.

Viviane approached and hugged Clara as well. When she pulled back, she stroked Clara's cheek like only a mother would and then turned away, walking down another corridor. It made Clara wish she had a mother like Viviane and she thought, once again, how Anne was lucky.

Nikolai approached and waited for her cue to leave, but her eyes went to the Winchesters and Castiel. She smiled darkly which unnerved them.

"Don't think we'll hug you." Dean said and she let out a dark little laugh.

"It was great seeing you. Sorry we couldn't spend more time together." She said and blew them a kiss, vanishing along with her Knight, leaving the hunters slightly shaken by the intensity of the situation that had just taken place in a matter of a few minutes.

The angels might have refused to hurt Anne and her baby, but the Winchesters wouldn't take any chances. Micah and Metatron might just try again, so they had to strengthen their defenses. And, in the back of their minds, they thought that Clara just might come back too.

 **This chapter is longer than usual, but I just couldn't help it. I hope you liked my solution to my loop hole. Thanks for reading, thanks for reviewing and thanks for supporting!**

 **xo**


	63. Witchy Woman

Finally, the moment you've been waiting for (so I hope) since I wrote Rowena into my story. All credit goes to "Supernatural" for the character and her dialogue and that of Crowley (which I have used some of it). All Hail Supernatural!

But I have to warn you, Crowley won't be as surprised as he was in the episode… although it was pretty funny!

The song here is "Witchy Woman" by The Eagles

 **Witchy Woman**

Crowley walked down those corridors and stood at the end of the hall that housed mangled traitorous demons and a non-demon organism. He hesitated in going further because he knew he wasn't going to like what he kept at the end of the corridor.

He refused to think of it, but now he had to. How he hoped he was wrong.

He walked down the corridor to that last cell and reluctantly opened the door. Inside was a woman sitting on the cold floor like an animal, looking like she had rolled around in dirt and broken glass. When she lifted her eyes up to him, his heart sank as he knew he was far from being wrong.

She seemed angry and harsh; just like he remembered her.

"Well, I'd heard of a King. Are you him? The King at last. King of what? Lilliput? I mean, I'd heard you were short, but…" she said with that infuriating Scottish accent and then she let out a dry laugh. She stared at him with that cold anger and that repulsive smile. "Well? Get on it! Time for the coup de grace! Wee boy, is something the matter with you? Cat got your tongue, hmm?" she said and then had just this cold expression in her eyes. "Meow." She added and smiled wickedly as she mocked him.

Yes, exactly like he remembered her. And she still couldn't shut up.

"Mother." He said, finally letting all the thoughts hit him, which he immediately regretted. However, if he pushed them away any longer, it would be a catastrophe. He had to handle this with extreme caution and dignity. Yes, he was absolutely furious, but this was his Kingdom and he was King; things were very different now.

"Mother?" she asked with a sort of disgust. "I am not your mother!" she shouted with that same disgust, only now it was slightly angry.

"How I would actually enjoy that." He said and before she shouted again, her mouth fell and she seemed stunned. It began making sense under that fiery mane of hers.

"Fergus?" she asked with a small voice. He fought against sneering at her, not only because she was his mother, but because he hated the name.

"Crowley." he corrected and she seemed slightly confused, but then slightly amused.

"Fergus." She corrected and he exhaled his frustration. "I didn't suffer giving birth to you so you could change your name to _that_." She added and he clenched his jaw as his frustration returned.

"Yes, mother of the year." He mumbled. "And how did you conceive me?" he asked, already knowing the answer to that question. She titled her head at him as if slightly disappointed.

"I told you already; it was a Winter Solstice orgy. It was unplanned and I surely didn't stop to take names." She replied and shot him an annoyed glare. "You're not going to start up with that old chestnut, are you? Complaining that you have no father; so ungrateful for what I gave you." She said as if she was a victim, even looking like one with her eyes up to the ceiling. How she hadn't changed at all these last hundreds of years.

"Yes, how ungrateful of me that you tried to trade me for three pigs, that you forced me to work and then abandoned me to survive on my own." He replied with a dry sarcasm and cold dark eyes. She met his gaze and seemed very unimpressed.

"I left to protect you. I didn't want those horrid people to hurt you." She said and his expression didn't change. He wasn't convinced and he was letting her know. The Grand Coven and angry villagers were after her and she left him behind where he was treated like a slave and abused. And she called that protecting him?

"You haven't changed a bit." He finally said out loud, but it didn't relieve his frustration, especially when she smiled lovingly at him.

"But you certainly have; King of Hell, bravo. I always knew my boy was meant for big things." She replied, actually looking proud. If he didn't know her, he'd believe she was proud. The only time she ever felt any emotion was when it involved her and her alone.

"As I remember it, you said I would die in a gutter, covered in my own filth." He replied and she maintained that proud expression which sickened him.

"I was motivating you to do better, aim higher. Clearly, it worked." She said and he narrowed his eyes at her. Being King of Hell had nothing to do with _her_ and everything to do with _him_. It was so typical of his mother to make everything about her.

"Yes, motivated me to depending solely on my own devices, beginning at the age of eight years." he said with sarcasm and she frowned at him like she usually did when she scolded him for not doing things properly.

"You're being dramatic." She said as she looked away and he fought the urge to grunt.

"And never came back. For hundreds of years. If it wasn't for being caught, you'd never care to see me. Tell me Mother, did you know I had died?" he said and when she met his eyes, he let the rage surface in his dark eyes. She couldn't respond, but it seemed like she wanted to; to say something that would make her look like the perfect mother. "Who's being dramatic?" he asked her and she looked at him unimpressed.

"But I'm here now." She said like a perfect mother, a loving smile slowly spreading on her face. "We have a second chance. We can be a real family again, Fergus." She said so sweetly that it made him sick and angry.

"Crowley." he corrected and she ignored him. "And I have a family." He said with a dark grin.

"The demons? Anyone of the them would stab you in the back if they thought they could get away with it." she replied, looking slightly disgusted. His grin remained as he could have let out a hissing laughter. She thought she knew demons. How cute. No, the demons were too afraid to stab him in the back, even if they believed they could get away with it.

"And you wouldn't?" he asked her and she shot him a cold glare.

"No. We're family. We're blood. You can trust me." She said and his eyes hardened with rage. "I understand you're angry. I understand you hate me. Keep me locked away if you want, but understand that I'll always be your mother; I'll always love you." She added as she tried to act the part of a loving mother. It enraged him and he couldn't tolerate her anymore.

"Don't use words you don't understand." He said and snapped his fingers, the door slamming shut as he stepped away.

Love. She loved him. What a lie; she never loved anything in her whole life. For years, all he wanted was to hear those words, but she only said them because she was at a very unfortunate disadvantage; held prisoner by her King of Hell son. Speaking with her after all these years refueled the rage he had buried for so long.


	64. Feeling Good

The song here is "Feeling Good" by Muse

 **Feeling Good**

The demons quickly voiced their concerns after the angels left. Jesse made a deal with them? He tells them about the Nephilim fetus and they let him help in the killing of their precious Clara? Hadn't he heard that they don't want to harm her, their Queen of Hell, the most powerful being Hell has? However, Jesse remained calm and explained everything.

"These angels are in our way. I sent them to Anne knowing that Clara will leave Hell to protect her. That idea of phase two was just given to the angels without them knowing it. If your Queen kills the angels, perfect. If not, then when we help them get into Hell, they'll serve as our distraction while we go release Lucifer." Jesse said and then the demons began to understand. "Rest to sure that Crowley will protect his Queen and child more than Lucifer's cage. Then, if we have some of us retaliated at the same time, Crowley will be overwhelmed." He concluded and the demons praised him for being the leader they knew him to be.

"Our so called eyes and ears would be all too happy to volunteer." One demon said and Jesse smiled. They would feed those demons to Crowley like they did those that delivered Rowena to Stephanie. Yes, having an army of demons was important, but he didn't really need that many. After all, he preferred quality to quantity.

"Those angels are dead one way or another." Hal said and the demons seemed quite happy. Their plans were uninterrupted and they'd be getting Crowley off the throne like foreseen.

"Sounds wonderful, but I have a question." Chrissy said as she approached Jesse with a sweet smile. "Shouldn't we be infiltrating Hell now?" she asked and the demons then seemed in agreement with her. They looked at Jesse and their expressions seemed to ask why he hadn't done this. "Clara's with her relative and Crowley, we're all sure, is torturing something or another." She added and the demons nodded if not a little worried that they were all wasting precious time.

"I'm waiting for the forty year old virgin." Jesse said and then Hal snickered. The demons just watched Jesse as if waiting for further details.

"That'd be Metatron and you're not wrong. He's the equivalence to a grown man living in his mother's basement idolizing his 'Doctor Who' and 'Star Trek' action figures while he watches porn and eats junk food by the pound." He replied and everyone shared in a little laughter, despite Jesse who wondered if Hal was speaking from experience.

"So, we'll let him be our blind little lamb walking into the lion's den." Jesse said and the demons were back to agreeing. "Him and any other feathered friends." He concluded and then gestured for the demons to go on with their own business while he and Hal waited for Metatron. If Clara hadn't killed him, then he would come to them once more. If the wait continued, then he was dead. Jesse was very good at being patient.

Not long after a few minutes, Metatron returned alone.

"Where's your friend?" Jesse asked, pretending to care. If Metatron saw through him, he didn't let on. "Did you find what you were looking for?" he asked and, surprisingly, Metatron seemed a little grim. Maybe he had found it, but maybe more than he bargained for.

"I don't think you really care." He said and Jesse shrugged his shoulders. "Shall we discuss your end of the deal?" he asked and Jesse smiled.

"Fair enough." He replied and Metatron gave a small grin. "When do you intend on breaking into Hell?" he asked and Metatron's grin broadened.

"What would you recommend, since you're more in touch with that subject?" he asked and Jesse smirked, not expecting that question. This gave him more control and he tried not to show it too much.

"I assume you won't be going by yourself." Jesse said and Metatron let out a small laugh.

"I know I'm good, but I'm not stupid." He replied and Jesse fought the urge to refute that statement. "The angels will follow me." he added with a slight hint of pride, which was exactly what Jesse was hoping for.

"Good. Then come back in a couple of hours and I'll have a plan prepared." He replied and Metatron seemed surprised, maybe that Jesse didn't already have a plan, but nodded and vanished. Jesse looked at Hal and smiled.

"He may be the Scribe of God, but he has horrible public relation skills. I don't think he'll be a great distraction." Hal said and Jesse shrugged his shoulders again.

"It seemed like the other angel was leading the 'Kill the hybrids' campaign. He didn't come back, so I feel free to assume he's dead. If the angels had followed that one, they'll now follow Metatron, regardless. Care to agree?" he asked and Hal let out a dark laugh as he clapped Jesse on the shoulder.

"I definitely don't disagree. Those angels always need to follow someone." He said and seemed disgusted. Jesse would have asked how demons aren't so different, but decided not to. He had to admit that demons did follow someone, but weren't programmed robots.

"We'll continue with distractions." Jesse said as he smiled. Gavin, Kelley, Anne and Rowena were all nothing but distractions and Hell's royalty was falling for each one. If Metatron indeed have angels to back him up, then they would be the greatest distraction, besides Rowena, he was sure. Maybe Crowley killed her or maybe he didn't; but seeing her again probably was brothering him to the highest degree. As long as the King was upset about something, that gave them a window of opportunity.

"We'll need all we have to keep everyone away from Lucifer's cage." Hal said and Jesse agreed.

"Then only a selected few should free Lucifer." He said and Hal nodded. "We'll feed Crowley some more demons; keep him busy trying to get answers while we kick him off the throne." He added with a dark smile, enjoying the thought of being a powerful Cambion again with Lucifer rising to power.


	65. Boys Wanna be Her

The song here is "Boys Wanna Be Her" by Peaches

 **Boys Wanna Be Her**

Clara walked down the corridors with Nikolai behind her as they followed the growls of the Hellhounds. They had dragged Micah so far deep into Hell and they could see how he tried to dig his fingers into the floor and the walls to save himself. It gave her satisfaction that he was getting a bite out of Karma for what he did to her all those years ago. If he hadn't tried to kill her, she might have had a chance with Steven.

Then again, being with Crowley was a thousand times better.

When they turned the corner, they realized just where the Hellhounds took Micah: to the Hellhound Hot Spot. Where the Hellhounds are created, where they breed and where they roam. He was about to be chewed out by tens of thousands of Hellhounds with sharp fangs and razor claws. There would be no mercy.

Clara turned to Nikolai and grinned.

"Tell Gabriel to come here. Ginger can help him find his way. And you, stay with Keara." She said and Nikolai smiled like he was all too happy to take Gabriel's place. He quickly turned and took large strides down the corridor.

Clara casually made her way to the Hellhounds and could hear Micah's screams. He didn't sound so mighty now.

As she walked through the entrance of the place, it was like a large and deep cavern filled with Hellhounds. They all turned their attention to her, their beady red eyes all fixed on her as they growled, and scrunching up their snouts, curling back the flews to reveal their flawless fangs. None of them moved and none of them continued to attack Micah who now whimpered like an injured animal.

Hellhounds were fierce; only crossroad demons or higher level demons could interact with them and command them. However, only certain Hellhounds were used to collect souls or to be pets, if one wanted to call them that. The Hellhounds that roamed free in this cavern rarely came into contact with demons, since they avoided this area, especially the low level demons.

Now, as Clara had all those eyes upon her, she wondered if a Cambion had a chance to command these wild and fierce creatures.

She cautiously approached without losing any confidence and grinned as the Hellhounds parted for her, making a path for her towards the injured angel. Their eyes remained on her as if they were ready to strike, but they showed her respect which made her feel incredibly powerful.

When the Hellhounds stepped back to reveal Micah, he was covered in his vessel's blood with his clothes torn to shreds. Clara couldn't tell scratches from blood splatter, but Micah was shaking badly, staring up at her with wide eyes full of fear. Besides the blood, the white of his eyes stuck out and she couldn't tear her gaze away, as if feeding off his fear.

The Hellhounds began to growl as if they too fed off his fear, waiting for her to give the command to finish Micah off. Clara was almost tempted, but she wanted the angel to know she wasn't a monster. Hybrids are not monsters or abominations.

At that moment, the Hellhounds behind her began to growl and snarl. Unbelievably, there was one snarl she recognized and she soon sensed another angel. She turned to see Gabriel standing at the entrance with Ginger beside him. If she didn't give a command in the next second, both the Archangel and her Hellhound will be mulled to death.

"Stand down." She spoke softly and the Hellhounds stopped and began to part for Ginger and Gabriel as they had done for Clara. However, the look in their eyes was that fierce desire to kill. Despite that drive for blood, they obeyed their Cambion Queen.

Gabriel stood next to Clara and looked down at Micah. He seemed displeased and maybe even concerned. He might not have agreed with Micah's plan to kill all hybrids, but he probably didn't wish him any harm, especially at the jaws of unruly Hellhounds.

"The angels no longer want to hurt the last Nephilim." Clara said and Gabriel glanced at her and nodded with a sort of sad expression in his eyes.

"But they still want you and your daughter dead." He said and she glanced at Micah with a stone expression, making her intentions a complete mystery to him.

"I can't imagine that ending well." Clara said and Gabriel looked at Micah with a hard expression in his eyes. Whatever sadness he had moments ago was gone. He had chosen his place and he remained true to it; he would help Clara and her daughter even if it meant watching one of his own die.

"Killing the Cambions will only guarantee war and death." Gabriel said as Micah continued to tremble. "Hell's power doesn't threaten your so-called balance. Heaven and Hell both exist. There's your balance." Gabriel said and stepped a little closer. Micah withdrew to the wall as much as he could, his fear washing over Clara and the Hellhounds. She had to meet their eyes to keep them still.

"Heaven is at a disadvantage." Micah said weakly, his voice nearly quivering.

"I had told a certain someone to gather the angels, to unify them, and to embrace the Nephilim. You don't need a weapon, you just need something good to believe in. Hell doesn't want a war; it doesn't care about you. So cut the shit and help the humans like you're supposed to. Listen to their prayers; give them a reason to believe in you and save them from Hell, save them from their own greed." He said and Micah seemed less fearful as he gazed up at the last Archangel giving him an order. "There's your balance." He continued and took his place beside Clara.

Micah was speechless, but he glanced at Clara with uncertainty. He believed this was what he had to do, but he was told by the last Archangel that what he was doing wasn't right. Restoring the balance would mean to help the humans to accomplish what they desire or they would fall prey to the crossroads.

Now, would the Cambion Queen of Hell kill him? Would she send him back to the surface to deliver a message? Part of him was hopeful while the other imagined the worse.

"What will you do?" he asked her and her lips twitched into a dark smile. "Let your hounds kill me? Make me a messenger to the rest of Heaven?" he asked, sort of blurting out his thoughts.

Clara approached and stared down at him with that dark smile.

"Ever heard of killing the messenger?" she asked him and then she lost her smile. "That's because it sends a message." She concluded and turned her back on him, the Hellhounds snarling at him with the desire to finish what they started.


	66. Heart-Shaped Box

The song here is "Heart-Shaped Box" by Nirvana

 **Heart-Shaped Box**

Nikolai walked up to the mansion and threw open the doors, whistling. He walked through the rooms and threw open a couple more doors, turning down a couple of corridors to Keara's room. Finally, he was cutting Gabriel's time with Keara short. Before him, he was Keara's only friend; she had developed a crush on him and she lit up every time she saw him. Then, Gabriel had to come and help protect Keara like a demon with the Mark of Cain can't do the job.

Once Nikolai got to her room, he threw open her door and smiled at Gabriel.

"Clara has requested your presence." He said and the Archangel just grinned. "Ginger will show you the way. Now get out." he added and Gabriel walked to the door, smirked, and walked out. He didn't care if Gabriel knew what was going on or not; he just wanted to get him away from Keara before she developed a crush on him too.

Nikolai sat at the small table with Keara, a big smile on his face. She had taken out her Easy Bake Oven and had begun making some cookies. On the table were several drawings, most were hers, the others clearly weren't. When Nikolai held them up to see them, his smile faded. Gabriel drew himself stealing Keara from him. It wasn't teasing; it was letting him know that he wasn't Keara's number one anymore. He was competing against Gabriel and he was losing.

Nikolai put the drawing down, but continued to stare at it, glaring at it and balling his hands into fists. He was the one to protect Keara at all times. He was the one to take her around the world. He was the one to play with her and now, Gabriel stole his place. Keara liked him more. An Archangel; how disturbing.

Keara placed her freshly baked cookies on a plate when they were done and placed them on the table. She turned to put in another batch and then got her tea set ready; unaware that Nikolai had begun eating her cookies.

He glared at Gabriel's drawing as he ate a cookie, furious that Gabriel just waltzed into Hell and charmed Keara with his bag of candy and sleeve full of tricks. What was so good about him? As he thought about this, he grabbed another cookie and ate it.

When Keara came to the table with her tea set, it made him wonder if she was planning on playing with Gabriel like she used to do with him. Would she make Gabriel wear a pink boa and try to paint his nails pink? Would she try to place a stupid plastic ring on his stupid angelic finger too? Would she rip Nikolai's finger off just to get that ring back?

He ate another cookie and didn't notice Keara standing there, staring at him. However, he couldn't keep the frustration bottled up anymore.

"Why do you like him?" he asked and Keara crossed her arms over her chest and arched an eyebrow at him like her mother would.

"He's nice and fun." She replied as he glared at the drawing and ate another cookie.

"He's an angel and he bribes you with candy." He replied, shoving another cookie into his mouth as he glared so much at the drawing that he was nearly burning a hole into it.

"You, Niki, don't wear jealousy very well." Keara said and Nikolai glanced at her with a slight frown.

"I'm not jealous." He said and grunted as he looked back at the drawing.

"Says the grumpy face eating all my cookies." She replied and when he glanced at the plate of cookies, realized he really did eat them all. He looked up at her and his lips twitched into an odd grin.

"They're good." He said and she continued to stare at him with that arched eyebrow and those arms crossed over her chest. She looked just like her mother. How she was just so adorable! She pulled out the chair across from him and sat in it, leaning closer to him and then tapped the plastic ring on his finger.

"When I grow up to be like Mommy, you're the one I'm gonna marry. Gabriel's an angel and that would be weird. So take a chill pill and lay off my cookies." She said and got up to check on her cookies in her Easy Bake Oven.

Nikolai sat there, speechless, and feeling slightly unnerved. Keara was just two years old. The thought of being her husband and being intimate with her made him feel disgusting. However, he had about fifty years until she was fully grown up, so he didn't feel the need to worry. Although, fifty years is a long time, especially if Keara expects him to swear off sexual activity as he waits for her.

Then, it reminded him of when Clara was pregnant with Keara and Crowley had just made her cry. She was afraid he'd challenge Crowley for shouting at her and making her upset; she offered him the chance to be King if he just remained loyal to Crowley. She sort of gave him a choice between her or Keara. It was awkward, but he brushed it off knowing it was her hormones.

Until Keara started crushing on him. It was all just too weird.

Oh, he couldn't think about any of it. He needed a real stiff drink.


	67. Rock Steady

The song here is "Rock Steady" by Bad Company

 **Rock Steady**

Crowley walked away from that cell and just walked, wanting to forget his mother. Only, he knew he wouldn't. Her words would stick in his mind, driving him crazy. So much rage and hatred buried deep over the last hundreds of years; and yet he just left his mother in her cell. He could torture her and watch her die, snuff out her soul like a candle and her existence would vanish from the world. He could unleash all those years of rage and hatred, yet he was just walking away.

Why wouldn't he kill her, because she gave birth to him? That without her there would be no Crowley?

Bullshit. That's just the preposterous line of crap she would use. He became Crowley solely on his own.

Crowley brushed it off, taking comfort in knowing that Clara had done the same thing; left her mother in a cell to show her how the world wouldn't care if she was missing. Then, when Clara just wanted her gone, had Hellhounds chase her sorry as out of Hell to roam the world as a lost soul. Even Clara couldn't actually torture her mother; however Clara had taken her soul from her body. It was more than just leaving her in a cell.

It's not that he was intimidated by his Queen. That was a ridiculous thought. Yes, she was a powerful Cambion and he'd be the first to say it, but she loved him and she was just like him; the human half would never vanish despite giving the demon within full control. She couldn't unleash all the hate on her mother, the thing that reminded the demon of its human origin, as unfortunate as it is to admit. What Clara did on the other hand was show her how it felt not to be wanted and loved. She showed her what it was like to be abandoned.

Crowley could do that. Let his mother rot in a cell and let time drive her insane. Yet, having her in Hell nagged him like he could never forget she was there. So, when Clara had her mother chased out of Hell by Hellhounds, it wasn't just the hormones from her pregnancy; it was the same nagging feeling like her mother's presence in Hell was magnified, making it difficult to forget she was there, suffering in loneliness.

How had she tolerated it for so long? Crowley only had his mother in Hell's prison for a couple of days and after talking to her, felt like he was losing all focus.

He brushed it off and walked into the office where Nerilla and Kelley seemed surprised to see him. He paid their expressions no attention as he took his chair behind his desk. How he hadn't been behind his desk in such a long time. How it felt so good.

It reminded him that he was the invincible King of Hell and that no whore of a mother could affect his focus. He had a rebellion pissing him off and moronic angels that were out to hunt hybrids; hybrids such as his Queen and Princess. Well, they could all try to tear him and his Kingdom to pieces; he would prevail. He was continuously underestimated which spelled out disaster for those that challenged him. He was loved by the two most beautifully powerful creatures in existence. With his Queen and daughter, nothing could touch him.

Narcissistic, yes; he would be the first to admit it. He was Crowley; he wouldn't be narcissistic if he wasn't right. He wasn't saying that Clara and Keara are weapons in his possession; he was simply proud of them.

"My King?" someone asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. He turned his head and met Nerilla's gaze. "If you're not busy, I have documents that await your signature." She said and he held his hand out slightly, gesturing that he would take those documents.

She gave them to Kelley who crossed the room over to Crowley in two strides. She kept her eyes low and respectful, but it was obvious that she loved her new job.

Crowley took the documents and looked at them: just political nonsense detailing what was going on, what actions were taken and why, and then under whose authority. The same annoying thing for all the demons they had taken prisoner and he tortured. And why did he have to have all this bullshit? It was times like this that Crowley wondered what he had been thinking, which he then came to the conclusion that he was indeed clever and that's why he should be King of Hell.

If anyone was to say that he just tortured because he was sadistic, they would see that he tortured for information or as punishment. Yes, he enjoyed torture with a passion, but he wasn't sadistic without a purpose. He was a ruler, not a dictator.

He quickly signed the papers and handed them back to Kelley who brought them back to Nerilla like they would explode if she didn't return them fast enough. She continued to stand like a statue beside Nerilla, but moments after, slowly leaned slightly over to her like Crowley couldn't see her out of the corner of his eye.

"Is everything alright?" Kelley whispered like Crowley couldn't hear her. She might be new to all of this, but she wasn't the sharpest point on the Devil's trident.

A split second later, there was a subtle movement and Kelley let out a nearly silent gasp. Apparently, Nerilla jabbed her to keep her mouth shut. Crowley didn't give her enough credit as Lieutenant.

"Your Lieutenant is your example, Sergeant." Crowley began, certain that Nerilla was grinning. "However, I should trust my circle of demons with some information." He concluded and took out his cell phone, sending a quick text to Clara and Nikolai to join him in the office. If they should bring Gabriel and Keara, he would allow it, since they should know as well.


	68. Drumming Song

The song here is "Drumming Song" by Florence + the Machine

 **Drumming Song**

Micah thought Clara would unleash the Hellhounds on him, but it appeared that she was whispering something to Gabriel. When she turned back to glare at him, he expected the most excruciating death she could conjure.

He thought about how simple things had been in the beginning. Now with hybrids, things were complicated. The angels didn't want to harm Anne's baby and killing Clara probably would fail. Gabriel was probably right; Hell didn't want a war, but if Clara and her child are harmed, Hell will rage a war and it'll win.

Maybe he should just listen to others and forget his foolish ideas to rid the world of hybrids.

Clara turned to him with an expression that reflected nothing but the ghastly sneer of a demon. There wasn't much of a human in her. He couldn't understand how a hybrid could be so unbalanced. He thought of hybrids as being a problem, but now, the concept of an unbalanced hybrid terrified him. It must be Hell doing this to her; making the demon within her conquer the human.

What terrified him the most was the fact that she embraced it.

"Here's what I'm going to do, Micah." She said and she seemed to grow, like a large shadow about to consume him; saying he was terrified at that moment would be an understatement. "I'm going to release you into Gabriel's hands. I'd like nothing more than to kill you, but I'm going to give you the chance to wake the fuck up and see that Hell isn't the problem." She said and walked away, having all the Hellhounds turn their attention to her, like they were in awe of her.

When they all turned their glaring eyes at him, he feared she'd change her mind and have them kill him, but they didn't move. They simply stared at him which wasn't any better.

Micah looked up at Gabriel who grinned. The last Archangel; he was anything but an angel. He ran from Heaven and hid among illusions that called themselves Gods. He stayed away rather than help his brothers and sisters; surely he heard them and all the chaos in Heaven. The last Archangel rather help Hell than Heaven!

"Don't judge me." Gabriel said, as if he could hear Micah's thoughts. "You trust the most devious angel and get him to help you kill hybrids that are out of your league. The Queen of Hell is not your enemy… only if you threaten her and since you have, you better count yourself lucky she hasn't killed you." Gabriel said and gestured him to get up.

"I will not be held prisoner." Micah uttered defiantly, despite his body quivering in fear. Gabriel sneered at him and gestured for him to follow.

"There's only enough space in Hell for one angel." He replied and snickered. "No, I got something better." He added and kept the idea to himself, putting Micah on edge.

Meanwhile, as Clara left the Hellhound pit, she couldn't shake off this feeling she was trying to brush off. It came right in the middle of scaring the shit out of Micah, hence why she couldn't slice him into little pieces. She had to leave and deal with this.

She knew it was a summoning, but who would be stupid enough to summon her? Those she trusted had cell phones. She knew it couldn't be the Winchesters; they had their fill of her visits. This one was persistent despite the fact they have no ties with her. Eventually, she'd have to go or this feeling would drive her into a spurt of rage.

Clara let herself be summoned and when she took in her surroundings, she was in a filthy back alley that seemed dripping wet due to rain that thankfully stopped. Not a very appropriate place for the Queen of Hell.

She looked up and immediately glared at the annoying Metatron staring at her with a creepy grin. She could tell he was full of himself, in the sense that he thought he was always the one with the upper hand.

She couldn't wait to prove him wrong.

"What do I owe the displeasure of meeting you again?" she asked him and he smirked at her, pretending to be insulted.

"I thought you'd like to strike up a deal, since demons are into that sort of thing." He said and she smirked at him, letting the glimmer of a demon surface in her eyes.

"Oh, angels like it too, it's just we have more class." She replied and his expression remained. He found her to be amusing. Well, very shortly, he's going to change his mind. "What did you have in mind?" she asked him and he flashed a smug smile at her. She didn't get nauseous very easily, but looking at Metatron, she could barf at any moment.

"Being such an incredible threat to Heaven mustn't have been fun and games for you during the course of your existence." He said, sounding like he understood her life. Clara sneered at him; she'd feel insulted if he was worthy enough to insult her.

"Oh yes, such a pain in the ass." She replied and he just smiled as if he was glad to see they were conversing successfully. It seemed he didn't have much experience with sarcasm, how boring; then again, Clara knew he wasn't that stupid. This was just all too amusing for him.

"Being such a powerful creature, no doubt you're capable of great things." He said and she frowned at him with a grin. He mustn't have heard that flattery won't get anyone anywhere. "So I propose that, together, we put an end to the tyranny." He added and Clara arched an eyebrow at him.

"Pardon?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Metatron smiled at her and approached as much as he knew she would allow.

"There is a way to close Heaven. Of course, it won't be easy, but impossible is a word that I believe isn't in our vocabulary." He said, smiling with confidence, as if to convince her. Clara maintained her expression, not sure just what to make of Metatron's proposal.

A long time ago, she accepted the Devil's proposal, having finally found someone to love her. He gave her everything she could ever want. Now, an angel proposed a stupid idea and there was no way she was going to accept it. There was nothing she wanted from this creep; she didn't trust him and, best of all, she knew his little secret.

Clara hadn't spoken a lot to Anne, but from the few times, she knew how Gadreel became human. Gadreel broke Metatron's spell that kept Heaven closed to all angels except himself.

At that moment, Clara caught a familiar sight just at the end of the alley, far enough not to alert Metatron. She grinned and nodded, playing along with the Scribe of God. She could always count on her Knight to show up.

However, Keara was also with him. That didn't thrill Clara, but it seemed she was spreading her daughter's babysitters a little thin. Gabriel was busy with Micah and Nikolai knew his Queen needed him. Keara couldn't be left on her own, even if she had several Hellhounds to protect her.

"Shut Heaven down for business." She said and he smiled. "I can see how Hell can profit from that, but I struggle to see the upside for you." She added, knowing damn well that he wants Heaven all to himself.

"Since Heaven's leaders have had unfortunate run-ins with the Winchesters, Heaven has had no structure and the angels don't have a clue what to do. They need to be set straight and I have a plan. We could both benefit from closing Heaven." He said and as Nikolai approached, Metatron didn't seem to notice. However, Clara was certain he would eventually.

When Clara simply nodded, a dark glimmer glowing in her eyes, it seemed Metatron did notice a strange presence after all. At that moment, he got hit with another surprise.

A ring of fire ignited around him and as he turned around, Nikolai stood firmly with a fixed stern expression. If seeing Keara, hiding behind big bad Nikolai, put a creepy smile on Metatron's face, he didn't show it to Clara when he looked at the fire and then back at her. If he was insulted by the sudden ambush, he didn't show it.

"You think this threatens me?" he asked her and she sneered. "Holy fire can't contain me." He added and she smirked.

"You sure about that?" she asked him with a dark grin. When he reached out and tried to vanquish the flames with his angelic powers, nothing happened and a slight glimmer of confusion appeared on his seasoned face. "This isn't Holy fire." Clara said and when Metatron met her eyes, they were dark. "It's Hell fire." She added and smiled in a sinister manner. "Good luck blowing that out." She said and moved around as Nikolai approached. They stood together and stared at Metatron.

The look in Clara's eyes seemed to be like looking into the peephole of Hell; fire danced wickedly in her dark eyes. There was a haunting glare in her eyes, one Metatron hadn't seen in a long time, since the fall of Lucifer.

"You can't kill me." Metatron said and the corner of her lips twitched.

"Give me a good reason." She replied and his lips turned into a creepy smile.

"Have you ever heard of another Cambion such as yourself and your daughter? One discovered before you?" Metatron asked and her expression didn't change, but she allowed him to fool himself into thinking she cared.


	69. After All

The song here is "After All" by Delerium

 **After All**

Keara clung to her mother's side, safely between Clara and Nikolai, staring at the creepy old angel in the circle of Hell fire. He spoke of another Cambion, one believed to have been the only one in existence. Keara looked up at her mom, analyzing that dark smile. She looked up at Nikolai, analyzing that fixed stern expression.

There was no way this creepy old angel was getting out of the circle of Hell fire.

"He was just a boy; but a boy that could make a drawing come to life by simply thinking about it. He grew powerful during the rise of the infamous fallen angel, the Prince of Hell." Metatron said and approached Clara as much as he could without being scorched by Hell fire. "If closing Heaven with me doesn't entice you enough, then why don't I tell you all about this Cambion boy? I think you'll find the information surprising." He concluded and the corner of his lips twisted up, making his grin resembled like that of the Cheshire Cat.

As Clara's dark eyes lingered on him, she couldn't help but wonder about Crowley's theory that the rebellious demons wanted Lucifer to take back the throne of Hell. Now, Metatron wanted her to make a deal so badly, he was spilling teasing details about a Cambion boy related to the rising of Lucifer, many years ago.

Clara smiled darkly, adding a spark in her eyes.

"You know, your daughter is a spitting image of you." Metatron said, looking at Keara with a twinkle in his eyes. Clara's smile diminished, not liking that he stared at her child.

"What about this Cambion boy?" she asked him and he looked up at her and his smile turned sinister.

"Only if you agree to my deal." He said and the expression in his eyes told her all she needed to know. This mention was very important and Clara knew why he brought it up. Although he was withholding information, she could sense something very devious.

"No one forces me into a deal." Clara said, just then thinking of how Crowley persisted she be his Queen. However, that was a different matter. "I will not close Heaven only because I don't care; angels pose no threat to me." she said and then smiled sweetly. "And if you're going to withhold information, do a better job." She said and the fire danced in her dark eyes once more.

"You won't get another peep out of me, no matter your strategy." He said as he grinned, putting his hands into his pockets. He seemed so proud and sure, but this is where Clara was about to prove him wrong.

"Some believe that in order to keep a secret, they must withhold the most important details, the ones that give it all away. It would appear that is true, but withholding details from a demon just isn't the same." Clara said as she approached the fire. Keara released her mother and clung onto Nikolai, watching with anticipation. "What you're not telling me is what I'm getting. I might not get all the details, but enough to know that this Cambion boy and Lucifer are in fact important to me, or else you wouldn't have confirmed it by mentioning it." she added and Metatron was losing confidence, despite maintaining his smile.

"I could help you." He said and she grinned.

"And how would you do that?" she asked and now he was beginning to look desperate.

"I could tell you everything." he said and Clara let out a dark chuckle.

"If I agree to close Heaven, which my answer is still no, Metatron." she said and lost all kindness in her face. "You are not useful to me." she said and he frowned, now seeming insulted.

"I have all the knowledge of God and I'm of no use?" he shouted and she grinned. "If everyone knew the knowledge I had, they'd do anything to get it. All come running to me when they know I have answers." He added and she yawned, which irritated him.

"And I have power. Others want it and run from me when they see it." she said and when she met his eyes, she blinked her eyes black; a dark void that seemed to suck Metatron in, realizing his fate was sealed. "I know you have failed in keeping Heaven closed. What makes you think it'll work again?" she asked him and his expression didn't change.

"You have no idea what you're in for." He replied dryly, as if trying to appear fearsome.

"I do, actually, but you don't." she said and turned to Nikolai with a wicked smile. "Care to do the honor?" she asked and when Nikolai smiled, Metatron seemed stricken with fear.

"I have a better idea." Said a familiar voice and when they all turned, Gabriel stood off to the side with a slightly trembling Micah. He grinned and winked at Keara.

"The last Archangel aiding Hell?" Metatron asked. "You would make your brother proud and shame your father." He added and Gabriel simply smiled at him. He nudged Micah to approach the demons and then tapped his shoulder when he was close enough. Gabriel closed the gap and whispered to Clara his plan.

Her lips curled into a wicked smile and she nodded in approval, meeting Nikolai's eyes with a sinister glimmer. Gabriel turned with that mischievous grin, looking at Micah, and then snapped his fingers.

At that moment, Metatron gasped and looked at Gabriel with disapproval and disgust.

"Just what do you think you can accomplish with this?" he asked and looked back at Micah. The trembling angel was confused, but when he glanced down at his feet, he was startled. He began touching his face and Gabriel conjured a compact mirror and gave it to him with a smirk. When Micah lifted it up, he froze as he stared at the reflection. Gabriel had transformed him into Metatron and whatever spell he used, it was powerful.

When he looked up, the demons smiled at him.

"Take Keara back home." Clara said and she tapped Gabriel on the shoulder. "We'll take it from here." She added with a dark smile.

Keara walked up to Gabriel, grabbed his hand and smiled up at him. Just before he could snap his fingers, she looked at Metatron and stuck out her tongue. When they vanished, Clara looked at Nikolai and he approached the circle of Hell fire, taking the First Blade out from his back.

He crossed the fire and Metatron tried to do something that could save him, but his powers were useless in this trap of Hell. He looked up with a saddened expression and closed his eyes.

"Oh Father, where art thou in Heaven?" he asked and Nikolai grinned.

"Didn't get the memo?" He asked and struck the First Blade with such speed that it pierced through Metatron so quickly that his body convulsed with shock. His grace flashed and flickered, then faded. Nikolai pulled out the First Blade and dropped his body without any remorse.

When he stepped out of the circle of Hell fire, it began to move inward towards Metatron's empty vessel and began to feed upon it. It grew larger and roared as it consumed the body, and when nothing remained, it vanished.

Clara glanced at the fear stricken Micah and glanced up at the cloudy sky with a smile. As Metatron's body burnt to a crisp in the Hell fire, she sensed that she was capable of seeing the information he wanted to keep from her. There was a link between Jesse Turner, Lucifer and the rebellion in Hell. The worst of all, was that Metatron was aiding Jesse. There was a plan about rebellious demons and angels attacking her and Keara, while Jesse frees Lucifer.

This angered her, but it pleased her as well, now that she knew everything.

"Oh angels, I have something that belongs to you. Come get him and consider it a peace offering, if you will." She said and she waited a few seconds while Nikolai pointed the First Blade at Micah, now disguised as Metatron. Finally, some angels hesitantly arrived in their clean suits and stone faces. Clara smiled sweetly at them and gestured to Micah who they saw as Metatron.

Nikolai placed the First Blade in his back once more, but kept his eyes on Micah.

"I believe this cockroach is yours." Clara said and turned to glance at Micah with a wicked grin. Nikolai nudged him forward and as he approached Clara, her lips curled back as she whispered. "This is better than killing you." She said and watched him as he approached his fellow angels.

As soon as they slapped some cuffs on his wrists, he tried to reason with them. Panic began to set in and he tried to convince them that he wasn't Metatron, but Micah.

Clara and Nikolai vanished as soon as the angels took possession of Micah to attend to more important things, such as Crowley's emergency meeting. He had sent everyone a text message telling them to join him in the office.


	70. Darkness Darkness

The song here is "Darkness Darkness" by Ann Wilson featuring Nancy Wilson

 **Darkness Darkness**

Crowley sat at his desk, looking at the text message he just sent to everyone, dreading what he had to say to them. Most knew that one of the prisoners wasn't a demon, but part of felt disgusted that he would admit it was his mother. His vile mother that insisted she was the centre of his universe; that without her, he'd be nothing, non-existent.

It was sickening and he'd rather not say anything, but his trusted circle had to know so that they could watch his back. His mother loved to play the role of the adoring mother, but she always loved to dig her claws into his back and manipulate him. As much as he knows this, he wasn't entirely sure he would see her devious plans of manipulation.

The first ones to walk in were Gabriel and Keara. Crowley smiled as his daughter danced her way across the office to sit on his lap like she had often done. He pushed his chair back, pick her up and sit her on his lap. He used to bounce her on his knee, but then she would turn and glare at him like a Hellhound. She had grown out of being bounced.

Keara sat on her father's lap and looked at the papers on his desk, her finger gliding over her father's signatures.

He wrapped an arm loosely around her and he brushed the hair out of her face lovingly. He smiled as she hummed a song he knew too well to be "Raise Hell" by Brandi Carlile. As he looked at his daughter, he knew he was a far better parent than his mother. He actually loved his daughter and there was no way he was going to manipulate her. She was his world and he'd stop at nothing to keep her safe.

Crowley kissed her cheek and Keara giggled, hiding her face as Gabriel smiled, having watched the cute interaction between father and daughter.

At that moment, Nikolai and Clara walked in with smiles on their faces as if they had just done something fun. Crowley would have liked to have heard the details, but if he asked, Clara would accuse him of stalling. Despite her smile, she was worried about an emergency meeting in the office.

"Now that we're all here," Crowley began and Clara crossed the floor to sit on his desk, in front as to not obscure anyone's view of their King. Having her sitting on his desk gave him pleasure, as it always did. His Queen would understand his predicament and support him. "I'm sure you would like to know about our non-demon captive." He said and everyone continued listening attentively. "I have spoken with her and…" he said, letting his sentence fall which was unusual for him.

Everyone seemed to virtually lean closer with curiosity and Crowley decided to just let it out.

"She's my mother." He blurted and the room remained silent. Keara perked her head up and turned to look at her father with an arched eyebrow.

"I have a grandmother?" she asked and Crowley nodded his head with tight lips.

"Yes, however she's a bi –" he began, but Clara cleared her throat and frowned at him, discouraging him from saying the word "bitch" in front of their daughter. "Bitter old woman." Crowley said and Clara nodded approvingly.

"Is she going to get chased out of Hell like the other grandmother?" Keara asked Crowley with a sweet smile. The corner of his lips twitched as he stroked her chin.

"It would be fun." He replied, but as he glanced up at Clara, he revealed the worry in his eyes and she understood immediately.

"It's a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" I'm guessing." She said and he nodded his head.

"She plays the part of a loving mother, but she'd no sooner have her teeth gashing through my flesh." He replied and the others exchanged glances as if to say it seems the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. "I cannot trust her despite how she may be endearing. It's a lie and I tell you all this because I need you all to be aware of her deceit." He added and the room was silent once more, except for Clara who made it easier for everyone by speaking.

"So she might have your well-fair at heart, but for reasons that are self-beneficial." She said and he nodded. "Being a witch, could she be helpful with the rebellion?" she asked and Crowley remained silent for a couple of seconds longer.

"She will watch my every move and scrutinize what I do. If she does help, she will do so in a demeaning fashion and never let it go. She's the Queen of nagging and belittling." He replied and Clara nodded her head. "I'm not sure we can trust her." he concluded and Clara smiled at him with a dark glimmer in her eyes.

"We're demons, we do don't trust very well." She said and got the corner of his lips to twitch into a half grin.

"Gabriel's not a demon." Keara pointed out and everyone looked at him. He grinned at Keara and seemed quite comfortable to be an Archangel among all these demons. "He can be an honorary demon!" Keara added with a beaming smile and Clara glanced at Crowley with a slight expression of uncertainty.

"Honorary demon it is." Crowley replied, then grinned as Keara applauded happily and Clara seemed relieved she didn't have to disappoint her daughter. "Now, I'd like to ask what you and Nikolai were doing." He asked with curiosity in his dark eyes.

"Oh, yes." Keara said and looked to her mother with admiration, wanting to hear what happened after she left.

"Gabriel and I were taking care of Micah, the thorn-in-my-side angel, when I had been summoned. Turns out, Metatron, the washed up Scribe had the balls to summon me and it was all to make a deal.

"He wanted my help to close Heaven, having thought that it would interest me. When he learnt that he was wrong, he decided to share some minor details about Jesse Turner. I found that to have been an interesting choice and he mentioned the link with Lucifer. I couldn't help but refer to your theory that the demons could want Lucifer to reclaim the throne.

"Well, Metatron was nice and snug in a circle of Hell fire, squirming once he realized that there was nothing he had that I wanted. Nikolai joined me and just as we were about to end his pitiful existence, Gabriel showed up with Micah.

"It was wonderful to see him disguise Micah as Metatron." Clara said and she watched Crowley's expression. "We killed Metatron and Micah took his place so that he may be locked away." She concluded and Crowley's eyes narrowed as this thrilled him. However, he could sense something troubling her.

"What else?" he asked with a hint of concern.

"As the Hell fire burnt Metatron's vessel, I could sense what he had done, as if I could see it for myself. I believe Metatron and Jesse had planned to infiltrate Hell; send multitudes to attack us so that we are entirely occupied fighting them off and protecting Keara, so that Jesse and others liberate Lucifer." Clara concluded and the room remained silent, but it became heavy with tension.

"So, that's their play." Crowley said and as he glanced around the room, knew that Jesse couldn't anticipate everything. How could he know there was an Archangel in Hell? How could he plan an attack on a Knight of Hell, bearing the Mark of Cain and wielding the First Blade? How could he foresee with Hellhounds and two Cambions stronger than him? How could he anticipate a witch, that was obviously part of his plan, turn against him? How could he envision the King of Hell knowing his plan?

"We could use the witch." Nikolai said and when Crowley met his eyes, he grinned mischievously. "I'm sure she will be a pain in the ass, but I'm also sure she'll want to protect her son." He added and it got Crowley to begin a mental list of pros and cons in regards of including his mother.


	71. Seven Devils

The song here is "Seven Devils" by Florence + the Machine

 **Seven Devils**

Nikolai volunteered to fetch Crowley's mother with his burlap sack. He doubted that the sigils he burnt into the fabric would help against a witch, but he always had the First Blade. That was guaranteed to put fear into anyone.

He walked down the corridors, feeling exactly like the big bad monster others feared him to be. Since having the Mark of Cain, he's felt empowered and, he had to admit, it inflated his ego. There were moments when the Mark caused him grief; it itched like an acid burn and it caused him concern that he might lose all control and become the monster that could harm even those he treasured.

Now, he was feeling pretty good. Of course, the itch was still there, but it was satisfied with a job such as retrieving the witchy mommy. When he had nothing to do, it bothered him and when demons were being cut up, he wanted to be the one doing it. The Mark was making Nikolai fear that it could become a fine line.

He reached the corridor of cells and he could sense she was in the last one. He grinned and took large strides as if he was excited to bring her to Crowley.

Nikolai grabbed the handle and threw the door open with his dashing grin. The witch inside turned to face him and for a second, she seemed surprised. Then, she gave a smile and batted her eye lashes. She was a beautiful redhead in a flattering black dress, despite the dirt on her face.

"Well, gonna stare at me, lad?" she asked in her Scottish accent and Nikolai's grin turned dark.

"My lady." He said and held out his arm. Then her smile widened at his charm and she walked over to him with her chin held high.

"It's about time I get treated respectively well." She said and they walked down the small hall. He glanced at her and she walked gracefully as if she were royalty. Of course, she wasn't as graceful as Clara, but she had a certain charm that Nikolai had to admire. "I imagine you're taking me to see my son, the King of Hell." She said, still with her head up high. Nikolai grinned and brought her a little closer to him.

"Indeed." He whispered and her lips tightened in a smile. "And he sent the best to escort you." Nikolai added and she glanced up at him, her eyes glistening.

"I'm sure he has, quite charming I must admit." She replied and Nikolai flashed his most striking smile. "It's hard to believe you're a demon." she added and turned her gaze around. Despite her gentle tone of voice, that sounded more like an insult and she intended it to be so.

"Oh, not just an average demon, Ma'am." Nikolai replied and when she glanced at him with a slight arched eyebrow, with his free hand, he raised his sleeve of his arm to reveal the Mark of Cain. When her eyes met it, they widened and she seemed surprised.

"The Mark of Cain." She said and, for added effect, Nikolai pulled the First Blade from his back, looking at it as if it had been dipped in gold. "The First Blade." She said and then her confidence swayed. Her tone changed and Nikolai could tell she no longer felt so high and mighty.

"I'm a Knight." He said and met her eyes. The expression of shock was still frozen on her face, but there was a hint of fear in her eyes now that her demon escort turned out to bear the Mark of Cain as well as to wield the First Blade; a creature that could kill anything and everything in cold blood.

Then, she held her chin up and tightened her lips defiantly.

"My son won't have me killed." She said and Nikolai smiled dashingly, watching how long she could maintain that boldness. "I'm his mother. He needs me." she added and Nikolai let out a soft chuckle.

"Yes, I'm sure." He said with a gentle tone, but in the same manner she had as to insult her in return.

"You know, the Mark, it's just a curse. The first curse, but still, it can be removed." She said and when he met her eyes, there was an interesting glimmer that clearly suggested that, being a powerful witch, she could remove the Mark of Cain and he'd be reduced to an average demon once more.

Nikolai held up the First Blade closer and he felt her lean away, as if distrusting him. She knew all too well about it and she feared it. That pleased him greatly.

"I think I'll keep it." he replied and glanced at her with dark eyes and a sinister grin. "Now, let's not keep the King of Hell waiting." He added and tightened his arm around that of the witch and walked faster, nearly dragging her behind him.

When he arrived at the office, she seemed slightly exhausted and annoyed. He opened the door and nearly tossed her in. That really annoyed her and she glared at him as she fixed her dress and hair.

She stood tall and looked at Crowley with the same defiance in her eyes as earlier.

"Fer –" she began, but he quickly corrected her.

"Crowley." he said and narrowed his eyes at her. When his mother looked down at the little girl on his lap, she looked back at him with a mixture of confusion and amusement. "Keara, Rowena. Rowena, Keara." He said and her smile grew as she looked at the little girl.

Crowley gestured to the woman sitting on his desk, dressed fashionably well with an air of grace and beauty.

"Clara, my Queen." He said and Rowena met her eyes, but then her smile diminished as she saw that dark and sharp coldness in Clara's eyes. Crowley gestured at everyone else. "Nerilla, Kelley, Gabriel and you've already met Nikolai." He said and Rowena looked at all of them, but she wasn't interested. Her eyes returned to the little girl and lingered on the sweet child.

When her son said he had a family, she didn't know he actually meant it.

"Would this be my wee granddaughter?" Rowena asked with a smile and, despite Crowley refusing to release his grip on Keara, she squirmed to be put onto her feet. Once she was free, she walked up to Rowena with an innocent smile and suddenly threw her arms around Rowena's waist.

She was surprised, but her face lit up, especially when Keara pulled away just enough to look up and dazzle Rowena with her twinkling eyes. Indeed this little creature was Rowena's granddaughter. Incredible how her son could produce such a stunning little thing.

"I now have another grandmother." She said with happiness and Rowena smiled with a bit of confusion.

"Another grandmother?" she asked and Keara looked over her shoulder at Clara, the Queen of Hell. When she looked back up at Rowena, her little eyes were dark like her mothers.

"I had one before I was born, but her soul was eventually chased out of Hell by Hellhounds." Keara said just as sweetly, with a smile, and then released her grip on Rowena. She walked back to her father and resumed her place on his lap where Crowley grinned in a sinister manner, as if proud of his daughter.

Rowena glanced around the room and all eyes were on her, all dark and cold. She was surrounded by demons, although the one named Gabriel didn't send off that "demon" vibe. However, his eyes weren't any more comforting.

She glanced back at Crowley who brushed his daughter's hair away from her face with a dark grin. Incredible to see him so affectionate with her granddaughter.

"Well, I trust your stay in Hell will be comfortable." Clara said, but there was no kindness in her expression and Rowena knew that the Queen of Hell disliked her mother-in-law. Rowena gave a smile, despite her dislike for her daughter-in-law. No one mattered, except for her son, Fergus who insisted he be named Crowley.

"Could I have a moment alone with my son?" Rowena asked, not that she was asking out of respect. She wanted everyone out, but it seemed she wasn't going to have it.

"Unfortunately, the King of Hell is too busy and we have work to do." Clara said with the same expression, cold, but not unreasonably mean.

"I have a right to speak with my son." Rowena said and Clara smiled wickedly.

"Not here, you don't." she said and Crowley looked up, as if this interrupted his time with Keara. "You have no right in Hell, so don't think you can do what you want." She added and Crowley glanced at Clara, softly speaking with authority, but as to not disrespect his Queen.

"Let's not be so harsh, my Dear." He said and Rowena smiled at Clara as if she had made a small, but significant, victory. "She can't do much anyway." He added and Rowena glanced at Crowley with a frown and ignored Clara's smile of victory.

"I always said you were two-faced." Rowena said to Crowley. Although she didn't get her wish to speak alone with her son, she was going to speak her mind.

"Mother, enough. I know you're annoyed with me." Crowley said and she gasped in response.

"Annoyed? I'm devastated, betrayed." She said and made herself look saddened and wounded. "And heartbroken." She added and Crowley rolled his eyes as he looked away.

"Heartbroken?" he asked and she gasped like it wasn't obvious.

"I was exiled from the Grand Coven and all the years I was there for you, where were you for me?" She asked and Crowley raised his eyebrows as if this was so ludicrous that he couldn't tolerate hearing it.

"Because I wouldn't go begging to a bunch of witches on your behalf?" he asked and exchanged a glance with Clara, as if to say that it was a long and dreadfully boring story. Rowena clenched her jaw and flared her nostrils. How dare he dismiss the importance of the situation!

"The Grand Coven is the supreme command of all witchcraft. Without their sanction, I'm forbidden to practice!" she replied with a harsh tone of voice to reveal her frustration.

"Forgive me. I hadn't noticed you stopped." He said coldly without any emotion. She approached and balled her hands into fists.

"I'm capable of greatness. Given free reign, I'd be unstoppable." She said with her head held high. She stared down at her son with rage in her eyes.

"I am this close to throwing you back into that cell." He said and measured less than half an inch between his thumb and index finger. The expression on his face revealed that he already had enough of his mother and it irritated Rowena.

"Of course. Why not? Why do anything but cause me more pain?" she asked and played the wounded mother once again. "Bad enough you wouldn't intervene with the Coven." She added and acted as if this performance would win her an Oscar.

Crowley curled his lips into a dark twitch of a grin and when his mother met his eyes, his expression became sinister.

"Is this why you wanted to speak with my, privately, in hopes that I, the King of Hell, would grant you a favor and bestow upon you a chance for vengeance?" he asked with a dark glimmer in his eyes. "Tell me Rowena, if I were not King of Hell, would you have bothered to pretend to care about me?" he asked and she gasped and glanced around at everyone in the office.

"You prefer them to your own flesh and blood. It's a bitter pill, Fergus; after all I've done for you." She said with rage, despite the grins around the room. Crowley and Keara were the only ones not grinning as they stared at her with despise.

"Clara and Keara are my flesh and blood." Crowley corrected. "If you truly care about me, than you'll have the chance to prove it." he added and at that moment, there was a distant look in Crowley's eyes as a harsh scratching and growling occurred outside of the office.

Rowena jumped and looked at the door, despite Nikolai standing in front of it.

"What is that?" she asked and Nikolai smiled.

"A Hellhound." He replied and then his smile turned into a dark grin. "Get ready for a party." He added and looked to Crowley.

The rebellion has begun.


	72. Kings and Queens

The song here is "Kings and Queens" by Aerosmith

 **Kings and Queens**

Jesse was pacing and the demons were revealing a bit of doubt and panic. Metatron hadn't returned with a confirmation that he and the angels would also attack Hell. Their young Cambion had sent someone out to see what was going on and even that one hadn't returned. Jesse was losing patience and even Hal seemed worried, despite his efforts to keep everyone calm.

Hal walked up to Jesse and attempted to reassure him.

"Our plan will still work." Hal said and Jesse shook his head.

"Something's wrong." He replied, knowing that something was off. He didn't know exactly what, but he had a gut feeling. "Where's that damn scout?" he asked and at that moment, there was noise, like someone opening the very creaking door to the abandoned building. Someone had arrived and all other demons grew silent.

Jesse turned and walked down the abandoned building to meet with the others. The scout was in the center of the room with all the other demons standing near the walls, as if to not be close to their fellow demon. They knew that if he didn't have some good news, he was a dead demon.

The scout seemed nervous and Jesse was already feeling irritated.

"What happened?" he asked and the demon swallowed hard and looked at the dirt ground.

"Metatron is back in Heaven." He said and couldn't look up to meet Jesse's angry eyes. "The angels are inactive and it would seem they have abandoned the idea of killing hybrids." He added and Jesse clenched his jaw and balled his hands into fists.

"What of the one leading the hybrid killing?" Jesse asked with a tone of frustration.

"Missing." The demon replied and that seemed to be the extent of his knowledge. He tried to slowly back up to blend into the crowd of demons, but they all knew Jesse was pissed off. Whether it was at the messenger or the angels for bailing out, it didn't matter. A Cambion was enraged and, regardless of his weak powers, he could unleash damage. The other demons still kept their distance.

Hal approached Jesse and whispered into his ear.

"This will still work. Lucifer will be King and you'll be powerful." he said and, at that moment, Jesse felt strangely human. Any boldness and devious ideas he had seemed to sink under the surface and he felt like an innocent child with a snake whispering in his ear.

Could it be that this was all Hal's idea and Jesse was merely his puppet?

Hal clasped his hand on Jesse's shoulder and it chased away that strange feeling. Jesse glanced over and reclaimed that boldness and deviousness. He wanted to release Lucifer. He was going to release Lucifer and have the life he should have had.

"We're infiltrating Hell now, while we still have a chance." Jesse said. He didn't dare say it out loud, but he was hoping that the witch Rowena would be of some use, as well as their demons on the inside. The angels would no longer serve as one of his distractions. He should have infiltrated Hell while he still had them. However, the angels had their own agenda, so it was unlikely that the plan made with Metatron would have worked out.

The demons roared with anticipation and they awaited Jesse to lead them on. Chrissy cheered and looked at him, batting her eyes as if she was his personal cheerleader.

"Now, someone find me a way into Hell and we'll bring this party to Crowley." He said and Hal lead the way. They left the abandoned building and went outside. Hal took one of many Angel Blades from one of the demons and cut into his palm so that he could drop blood on the ground. Judging by the agony that the Angel Blade gave Hal, which was simply cutting the flesh open, it was a significant weapon to deliver pain.

Hal eventually created a strange sigil and he had gone over it once more so that it didn't just look like droplets of blood in a pattern. When the sigil was complete, Hal spoke some words unknown to Jesse and there was a glow that appeared over the sigil, like a circle of light.

"A little trick we demons do to get in and out of Hell if we want to travel in our vessels." Hal said and then the demons began going through the portal. "Not only that, but for you, the only other option would be a Devil's Gate and that's just a pain in the ass." Hal said and gestured for Jesse to go in next.

When they all arrived in Hell, they could hear the howls of Hellhounds echoing. It was difficult to say where the Hellhounds were and Hal nudged Jesse forward.

"They're Crowley's alarms. He knew something was up and now he knows we've brought the rebellion home." Hal said, looking a little stressed. "We've got to get a move on." He added and they quickly made their way into Hell. Chrissy stayed with them and pushed her way into running beside Jesse.

The demons knew what to do; the goal was to get Jesse to Lucifer's cage. A few remained with him, in case they had to protect him, but their goal was to have Crowley and his demons chase them far away from the cage.

There were endless corridors and, so far, Jesse had no problems. He could hear Hellhounds and demons, but eventually the sounds of the rebellion were being drowned out by the silence of the deepest parts of Hell. No one was there and it made him believe no one was guarding Lucifer's cage. It was perfect.

Hal was leading the way, scouting and checking once in a while on Jesse like a bodyguard, while the others had him surrounded in some sort of Roman battle strategy. They glanced down several corridors, which were starting to look like a labyrinth, and still nothing. It was eerily silent and empty.

It made the demons confident, but Jesse was beginning to feel like something was wrong. He tried to stop so he could think, but the demons ushered him forward. Was he the only one second guessing? It was like feeling strangely human all over again. Was this idea of unleashing Lucifer really his or that of the demons?

As they were getting closer to the deepest part where the cage could be found, the corridors seemed untouched. They were dark and mildewed, cold and unnerving. Entering this place made every hair on Jesse stand up and made his heart beat hard in his chest. He could sense darkness and evil. It was no wonder no one came down here.

Not only did he sense evil, but he sensed something within stirring. As he neared Lucifer's cage, he could sense that familiar feeling of his Cambion powers. It wasn't as strong as he remembered, mostly because Lucifer was still in his cage, but it meant he was getting closer.

At that moment, the demons slowed down, as if sensing something was indeed wrong. Jesse could feel it and he couldn't understand; how could he only sense it now? It appeared out of nowhere and it was just as eerie as the corridor they were in, just as dark as nearing Lucifer's cage. What was this?

"This is going to suck." Chrissy whispered, but because it was so silent, everyone heard her loud and clear.

Suddenly, a low pitch growl echoed, and out of the darkness ahead of them, red eyes began to glow. It slowly approached, bearing its long fangs and Jesse's breath caught in his throat. This was a Hellhound, but the biggest he's ever seen. Its paws were huge and he watched as drool dripped from its long fangs. It was fierce and fearsome… and staring right at Jesse.

The demons tried to back out of the corridor, but then off to the sides, two more pair of glowing red eyes appeared from the shadows. The demons turned and a fourth pair of glowing red eyes appeared out of the darkness. Suddenly, they were surrounded by shadows and Hellhounds. It felt as if the darkness was spreading, about to swallow them whole.

"Go!" Hal said, as he suddenly pushed Jesse forward, just before the largest Hellhound jumped, immediately tearing into Hal's throat, gushing blood; spewing like a broken fire hydrant. Chrissy shouted the same thing as a Hellhound bit into her ankle and dragged her into the shadows.

Jesse ran forward as the Hellhounds tore into his demons like chew toys. The shadows seemed to retract and the corridor was clear, despite the darkness that was already part of it.

He saw an entrance to a large darkened room and he didn't slow down. He ran into and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a large cage in the center of a circular room. It was entirely empty, even the cage was empty and Jesse's heart raced, causing his chest to feel like he was being squeezed.

Jesse could feel his powers stirring within, but he couldn't understand that the cage was empty. That's when a crazy idea hit him; this has to be an illusion. The Hellhounds haven't chased after him and the room was empty. Something wasn't right.

He focused on shattering whatever illusion this was, and he could feel it working. He could see the room shift and there was some flickering glow, like light from torches on the circular wall. He continued to focus and soon the illusion was fading. He could see light and figures standing in the room.

Suddenly, the illusion faded completely and it took him by surprise because he hadn't done it. He looked up and the figures were clear to see, all staring at him… and still the cage was empty.

"Jesse Turner." A short and dark, well dressed, man said in a raspy accented voice. He stood in place with his hands in his pockets. That was obviously the King of Hell, Crowley. "Welcome, you trespassing fleshling." He added and Jesse glanced at the others around the room. Most were demons, but one of them wasn't and judging by her appearance, that was the witch Rowena, standing by some painted sigils on the bottom of the cage. He couldn't see Lucifer because he was hidden by a spell.

He glanced around and his eyes lingered on another female, but she was the most interesting creature in the room. Staring into her eyes, he found something familiar and when he recognized it, his breath caught in his throat once again.

The Cambion Queen of Hell and she was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Shouldn't make plans with a deadbeat angel." she said with a sinister smile, giving Jesse the feeling that she was behind Metatron returning to Heaven and Micah going missing.


	73. If You Want Blood

The song here is "If You Want Blood" by AC/DC

 **If You Want Blood**

Everyone in the office began moving as Nikolai gave orders. Nerilla and Kelley were to stay with Clara and Crowley, and Gabriel was to stay with Keara in the mansion. Rowena glanced around with confusion. She looked at her son to see if he could clue her in, but he ignored her.

"Fergus?" she asked him and approached his desk as Gabriel took Keara into his arms and vanished, leaving the echo of flapping wings to be the only indication that he was gone.

"It's King Crowley." he corrected and she growled.

"What is going on?" she asked him and Clara walked around Rowena to stand by her son. "What did you mean; proving that I care?" she asked and both Crowley and Clara meet her eyes with that darkness.

"There is a revolt in Hell as we speak. A pathetic little washed up Cambion child is trying to make his way to Lucifer's cage." Crowley said and Rowena gasped, placing her hand on her chest to dramatize her surprise.

"Lucifer? The original Dark Prince?" she asked and both her son and Clara walked out from behind the desk to leave the office, without answering her questions. "Fergus?" she asked and he huffed with frustration.

"Yes. Locked away in a cage in the deepest part of Hell." He replied as everyone was leaving, preparing to defend their King. Nikolai was already gone and it was unclear what his role would be. There was just too much going on and Rowena felt lost in all of it.

"And there's a revolt to free him?" she asked and when her son didn't answer, she let out a slight chuckle. Not even that got a response from him. "Well, a revolt is either the sign of a good ruler," she said sincerely, but then her tone changed to a mockingly sincerity. "Or one that lacks leadership." She said and still her son ignored her.

"We don't need her." Clara said to Crowley as if Rowena couldn't hear. She gasped and nearly hissed.

"I beg your pardon!" she said. "I am his mother. I shall always be there to protect him." she added and, without looking over her shoulder, Clara chuckled darkly. This infuriated Rowena and then she knew what they were doing. "If you want me to do something in this uprising, you have only to ask." She said and Clara chuckled again.

"If you care about Crowley, your son, take the initiative and do something constructive." She said and Rowena growled through clenched teeth. She really didn't like Clara.

They arrived to a large circular room with a large cage in the center. The feeling was completely eerie and all eyes were drawn to the man standing in the cage with his hands gripping the spiked bars. He was scruffy, but his eyes glowed with a blood red, despite the calmness he radiated.

They approached and Rowena placed a hand on her chest.

"He's so alpha, isn't he?" she asked and then lowered her voice. "Probably not relationship material, though." She added as she was somewhat memorized by him, although she knew how powerful and dangerous he's known to be.

"You're drooling. Get a hold of yourself." Crowley said without glancing over his shoulder at his mother.

As they approached the cage, they noticed something else in the cage with Lucifer. It was a body and, by the way it leaned against the other side of the cage, its throat had been torn clean out. Behind it were portions of dark shadows of wings, giving a clear indication that Lucifer had killed Michael. Lucifer's lips curled smoothly in a smile as he stared down at Crowley.

"My old friend, Crowley." he said, his voice just as smooth and calm as his character.

"A mere acolyte, carrying your torch." Crowley said, unmistakably with a tone of uncertainty and a hint of fear. Everyone seemed to be on edge, not feeling comfortable with this archetype of Hell.

"You're too kind," Lucifer replied, and then his lips curled back in a dark manner. "To yourself." He added and Crowley remained silent. "What do you want?" he asked and then he glanced at Clara and smiled in a charming yet devious fashion. "Well, aren't you just a sight for lonely eyes." he said and Crowley tensed, but he didn't move.

Clara approached fearlessly and looked up at Lucifer, her eyes glimmering darkly, revealing the demon within.

"A Cambion." Lucifer said without revealing his emotion. If he was disgusted by a human-demon hybrid, he hid it well. If he was impressed, he hid it under his flirtatious whim.

"Cambion Queen of Hell, that is." She said softly and his lips twitched, again not revealing his emotion. "We're here because another Cambion wishes to visit you." She said with a sweet smile. If she was trying to keep Lucifer flirtatious, it must have been working.

Crowley cautiously glanced over his shoulder at his mother who then stepped up to him, knowing he now had something to tell her.

"Do you have a spell that could make a misapprehension of the cage?" he asked and she smiled at him as she held her head up high.

"You see deary, we both knew you needed me." she said and he huffed as to disagree.

"Don't confuse me 'using you' for 'needing you'." He replied and looked out at the cage as she went off to the cage, picking up some dirt and taking a sharp stone to cut into her hand, mixing blood and dirt together in her free hand. She began drawing sigils as she mumbled some words.

Crowley looked at Clara as she continued speaking with Lucifer, distracting him. That's if he was indeed distracted. Lucifer was unpredictable and he hoped nothing would happen to Clara.

"I never get visits; must be my lucky day." Lucifer said as he stared at Clara, nearly licking his lips. Her body was so relaxed that Crowley wasn't sure if that was to purposely arouse Lucifer into giving her all of his attention.

"Well this boy has only his own interests at heart." She said and then Lucifer smiled darkly, losing all charm and making Clara a little unnerved.

"Yeah, that kid. The so-called 'Anti-Christ'." Lucifer said and closed his eyes with a cold smile. "He grew strong as I was slowly breaking out of this cage many years ago." he said and when he opened his eyes, his eyes were dark and cold. "He wants to break me out." he concluded and Clara's expression hardened as she stepped away.

"Which isn't going to happen." She said as he continued to smile at her. She stood by Crowley who placed a comforting hand in her lower back.

"Oh, c'mon Beauty Queen." Lucifer said as he licked his lips. "You and me would make a great pairing." He added and grinned wickedly. "We could raise the kid to grow into his full potential." He concluded and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Dream on." She replied and he chuckled lightly as if he wasn't insulted.

At that moment, Clara noticed something moving in the back and she thought it was the body of the dead Archangel, but then she sensed that it was human. She approached the cage as if Lucifer no longer concerned her. As she approached, it moved more, as if trembling.

Lucifer caught sight of it and approached calmly. Clara looked up at him and nearly hissed.

"Stay away." She said and when Lucifer calmly met her glaring stare, he smiled charmingly.

"Gonna make me?" he asked and when she growled, the cage rattled. Lucifer looked around and then back at her, arching his eyebrows and looking somewhat impressed. "Did you do that?" he asked and she growled deeper.

"Leave that human soul." She said and everyone seemed to perk up with curiosity. Lucifer chuckled lightly and then stared at her with mischievous eyes.

"Dream on." He replied and when he went to approach the soul, reaching out to it, Clara sharpened her stare and the cage rattled again, but it went on until Lucifer stepped away from the trembling soul. He looked up at her and, at that moment, Rowena stepped away and spoke a few words.

The cage was camouflaged by a glimmer and then, the cage was empty.

Clara backed away and Crowley wrapped an arm around her, knowing she was angry. Now, Lucifer couldn't be seen harming that human soul.

"How can we get that soul out?" Clara asked and Crowley glanced at her, seeing that this unsettled her greatly.

At that moment, the Hellhounds roared as they attacked. Jesse had arrived and he'd soon discover them waiting for him. Rowena stepped up to her son and smiled with pride.

"Shall we disappear?" she asked and spoke a few more words.


	74. The Monster is Loose

The song here is "The Monster is Loose" by Meatloaf

 **The Monster is Loose**

Nikolai walked up the corridors to where the rebels would be attacking and immediately could see who were on Team Crowley. They knew what happened the last time there was a rebellion and upon seeing the Knight arrive, they made sure to get out of his way.

He was able to spot the rebels and it took no time for the Mark of Cain to start itching. It was unbearable and before he knew it, he violently sliced the nearest rebel with the First Blade that seemed to have just appeared in his hand. It would seem he was so eager to kill that his hand just reached for the old jawbone without his mind thinking about it.

He swung so quickly and so violently that the demons, rebels and loyals alike, began to run away out of fear. He sliced and diced any demon in his reach. He took large strides to better reach those demons. He swung so hard that his hand and the First Blade must have gone clear through their chest cavities.

There were some demons stupid enough to lift up an Angel Blade up to Nikolai and he cut their arms clean off, then jabbed the First Blade up under their chin, into their heads.

One demon managed to stab his arm with an Angel Blade, but Nikolai knocked him back with his elbow, barreled down on him and stabbed him, proving that a metal stick was no match for the oldest weapon in creation.

Once the corridor had cleared out of frightened demons, Nikolai glanced around and all the carnage he had done. He hadn't noticed that he had killed twenty-four demons and it was only then he felt whatever wounds he had, not that they hurt. The Mark of Cain seemed to have been satisfied and now it was as if he could see and think clearly. Nikolai lifted up the First Blade and watched the blood drip off of it.

As the blood dripped, time seemed to slow down and the thirst for more was fueled by the Mark as it began to itch again. It was unbearable and he knew he had to find more demons to kill. Only this time, he was taking pleasure in it.

As he walked down one corridor with a wicked grin on his face, he began to laugh.

"Oh traitors, where are you?" he asked, listening to his voice echo. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!" he shouted and his voice echoed even louder. He let out another deep laugh as his hand clenched the First Blade tightly, making the leather on the hilt make a sort of cracking sound against his skin. "Daddy's coming home!" he shouted even louder.

He walked in long strides and found another corridor of demons. These were loyals, but like panicked prey, it made his predatory spirit hungry for more blood. He was ready to start slashing, but there was a sudden roar down one corridor and it was enough to get Nikolai to stop and think.

That was the corridor leading to the mansion.

The itch of the Mark stopped and he realized that Keara could possibly be in danger.

Nikolai ran down the corridor at top speed, blazing through. Whenever a demon popped out like a zombie in a video game, he questioned nothing and stabbed it while only wasting a second. Once he was on the move again, he feared that one second might cost Keara her life.

He turned down another corridor, nearly at the mansion and there were a few demons running slowly up ahead. Nikolai continued to run at top speed and roared with rage. The demons were now in a panic, which fueling his thirst for blood.

He charged and slashed violently, killing them all in a matter of seconds. He didn't stay to look at his work, he continued ahead thinking of Keara and whether she could be in danger. Of course, Gabriel was with her, but he didn't like the idea of counting on him much. Keara was everything to him and nothing could keep him from protecting her.

He turned down the last corridor and could hear some demons roar, but mostly, hear them scream. Once Nikolai appeared in the entrance, looking at the large mansion, the demons were being torn apart by Hellhounds guarding the place. He charged and left the Hellhounds to kill the rebels. He got to the doors and pounded once on the doors. They opened and he squeezed in and pushed them back. He turned and looked at the front entrance of the mansion which was untouched.

"Keara!" he shouted and the place was silent, but he saw Ginger stick her snout out and sniff the air. The look in her eyes was familiarly strange and he smiled. "Keara, lead me to you." He said, knowing that she was looking through Ginger's eyes.

The Hellhound quickly turned around and trotted down the corridors. Immediately, Nikolai knew she was hiding in her room. As soon as he got to that corridor, he opened the door and Ginger trotted in and Keara snapped out of it and quickly bolted up from her little tea table and threw herself into his arms.

Nikolai picked her up in a tight hug, dropping the First Blade on the floor. Gabriel, who also sat at the tea table, looked down at the old jawbone with surprise. He glanced up and smiled as Keara wrapped her arms around Nikolai's neck like she hadn't seen him in a long time.

"I was worried about you, Cookie." He said and kissed her cheek. She pulled back and looked into his eyes as she smiled.

"I'm okay." She replied and hugged him one more time. "Gabriel blasted them with light. They were blind for a while and then the Hellhounds attacked." She added and gave a light giggle, as if she found that to be funny. Nikolai gave a half smile, but then he heard more demons outside of the mansion. He looked up at Gabriel and the Archangel stood up, grinning as best as he could.

"Need any help out there?" he asked and Nikolai chuckled as he set Keara back on the ground.

"Not in your life, but if you have a death wish, be my guest." He replied, watching as the Archangel walked over to stand beside him. "Sure about this?" he asked and Gabriel grinned, giving him a light punch to the arm. Nikolai picked up the First Blade and they walked out of Keara's room, leaving her with Ginger, but Nikolai had to glance at her one last time. She simply smiled at him and sat back down at her little table with Ginger.

They walked down the corridors and when they got to the doors, they noticed that everything had gone silent. They cautiously opened the doors and just stared at what they saw.

"So, don't need help, huh?" Gabriel asked Nikolai as they looked out to the bodies of demons and Hellhounds, lying in between them and a fresh new crowd of rebel demons.

"We may not have Crowley, but we have his daughter." One demon said and Nikolai growled, his hand already going for the First Blade.

"Over my dead body, which won't happen." He replied through clenched teeth and some demons chuckled as if they took that as a challenge.

Gabriel dropped an Angel Blade from his sleeve and prepared to fight alongside of Hell's very pissed off Knight.


	75. War Pigs

The song here is "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath

 **Title**

Jesse tried to maintain his dark side, not wanting to lose it all when he was so close to Lucifer. He approached and grinned at Clara, looking at everyone else out of the corner of his eye. Two female demons that he could take on because he could sense they weren't terribly powerful. However, eliminating them might not win him an upper hand in this situation. He needed backup. Unfortunately, that got eaten by Hellhounds.

"Nice touch with the hidden Hellhounds." He said and Crowley's lips twitched into a half grin. "I take it you discovered my genius plan." He said and Clara smiled as a ring of fire ignited around the cage just behind her.

"Your pal Metatron tried to keep it from me, but when my summoned Hell fire reduced him to literally nothing, it was all revealed." She said and approached with rage in her eyes. "You're all alone now, stranded like a chicken in a lion's den. You're no match." she said and Jesse chuckled.

She was right. It was never discussed how to open Lucifer's cage. He knew that the rings of the Four Horsemen could open the cage, but that had already been done and now… he wasn't sure what to do. According to the plan, everyone would be away from the cage and he'd have demons to help him figure it out. But Clara was right; he was alone and screwed.

"The demons are very loyal to you, even those that started the rebellion." He said and her expression didn't change. "I never thought they'd respect a Cambion so much." He added and the corner of her lips twitched as she wore a half grin similar to that on Crowley's face.

"Respect is earned when you show them who's boss." She replied and Jesse chuckled and glanced at Crowley.

"That explains it." he said and Crowley's expression stayed the same; it was an insult that didn't make him flinch.

"So, are we going to talk shit or are you going to fight?" Clara asked and she snapped her fingers, making her dress immediately become a black pantsuit without the suit jacket. Still, she wore high heels, making her look fabulous and fierce.

"This is a little uneven." Jesse said and Clara grinned.

"This is Hell, honey; no one plays fair." She said and narrowed her eyes, sending him backwards to hit the wall. He dropped onto the floor and groaned in a world of pain. His whole body ached and part of him didn't want to move. He pushed his upper body up and his hands dug into the ground and he could have sworn that the dirt was burning his hands.

He eventually got up, but his body still ached from her blow. She was way more powerful and he wasn't sure how he could fight her. Despite his pain, he advanced and glared at Clara.

"Show me what you got." She told him with a wicked smile as she approached.

Jesse tried to focus his powers on her, but he wasn't sure what he could do. If only he could figure out the source of her strength. When Lucifer was rising, he was crazy powerful; a kid able to make an angel transform into a small figurine. How could Clara be so powerful? Was it Crowley? How could it be when he was nothing compared to Lucifer?

At that moment, some demons entered the room and Jesse felt relieved. He finally had some backup. They glared at Crowley and the other demons and they quickly jumped in for a fight. However, at that moment another group of demons entered the room and it was clear to Jesse they were loyal to Crowley. The biggest hint was the fact that these demons were accompanied by Hellhounds.

"Do me proud." A tall and well dressed demon said. He was clearly the leader of this group. He gestured to the demons to attack and Jesse's backup was cornered. It didn't take long for them to be slaughtered. These demons were fast and the Hellhounds worked alongside them. They had weapons that killed Jesse's demons. There was light that illuminated from within the demons, revealing the inner structure of their vessels and when that light flickered and stopped, the bodies fell to the ground. The demons were dead.

The well dressed demon advanced through the fight, stabbing one of Jesse's demons whenever they got the upper hand and when it was all over, he looked up at Crowley who gave him a half smile.

"Good to see you again, Hector." Crowley said and the demon nodded his head in a sign of respect. He walked over to join his group of demons and all eyes turned to Jesse, who was alone yet again. It was clear in that moment that Crowley was well resourced, something Hal and the others underestimated.

Suddenly, without notice and with great relief, Jesse caught another break when the sigils on Lucifer's cage began to slowly vanish. No one but Rowena seemed to have noticed and this gave Jesse some hope that she was still on his team.

"Looks like I might just win, regardless of your numbers." Jesse said and let out a dark chuckle as they all turned to look at the cage. Crowley looked at his mother with disbelief and contempt.

"What is this?" he asked and she tried to look just as surprised, but it wasn't very convincing to anyone.

"Fer–" she began, but his cold glare made her stop.

As soon as the sigils were gone, Lucifer was visible and he looked amused. He was leaning against the bars of his cage and he stared at Jesse with a grin on his face. His eyes were unnerving even if that was the source of his Cambion powers.

"Well, if it isn't a party for me. How kind of all." Lucifer said and there was a strange noise coming from the cage.

Then, as the noise got louder, it was clear to see that the cage was rattling. Clara ran to Crowley's side, looking at the cage and back at Jesse, like he suddenly became a threat. Finally, Jesse got an upper hand on the Cambion Queen of Hell.

The two female demons immediately charged Jesse as to continue the fight while Crowley urged Clara to do whatever she could to hold the cage closed. Clara held out her hands and the cage rattled less, but Lucifer didn't seem worried. He stood in the centre, calm as always. As Clara was busy with the cage, Rowena was trying to tell Crowley that she had nothing to do with this. Her spell worked just like it was supposed to do.

"Fer–" she began, but he shot her another glare. "I–" she tried, but he narrowed his eyes at her, making it clear he didn't want to hear from her and if she insisted, he would go to drastic measures to shut her up.

"Enough. Not now." He said and was more concerned with Clara keeping the cage closed. He stayed close to her side, ready to help if he could.

"I'm going to break free and there is nothing you can do, as powerful as you are, Sweetie." Lucifer said as he looked down at Clara with a charming smile.

"There's no chance you're coming out." she said through clenched teeth as she struggled to keep the cage together. She growled and then tried to whisper to Crowley. "I don't know how long I can keep this up." She said and Lucifer smiled as he relaxed against the bars of the cage.

"Tell you what, Buttercup," Lucifer said as he met Clara's burning eyes. "I'll take the kid with me and go upstairs. You can have Hell. Now that Dad is gone and all my brothers are dead, the world is mine to roam. I'll even throw in this human soul… just for you." He added and even winked at her. "What do you say?" he asked and she managed to let out a chuckle that still sounded enraged.

"I know you're the most deceitful creature to ever exist." She replied and he stood back and let out a soft laugh. He placed a hand over his heart and looked at Clara with soft eyes.

"I'm basically offering you a gift. Would I be so cruel to deliver an empty package?" he asked and she struggled again to keep the cage closed. She locked gazes with him and seemed to contemplate it. Crowley glanced at her and could sense her thinking about it. He stared at her intensely enough to know that she would sense his deepening concern. She could always feel his energy and she would eventually do what was right for all of them, especially Keara.

"I can't hold it." she said, trembling a little, her voice quivering and a tear forming in the corner of her eye. Crowley began to appear a little worried and panicked, but there wasn't much he could do.

During that time, Nerilla and Kelley were kicking Jesse's ass. Whenever he tried to throw a punch, one blocked and the other kicked his stomach. When he tried to do something else, they both jumped him and never gave him the chance to get up.

When he was too weak to fight back, they picked him up and dragged him towards the cage. He wasn't sure they had a plan for him, but he was too tired to really care to think about it.

Then, things happened really quickly and the world turned upside down before he could realize it.


	76. Rock 'N Roll Train

The song here is Rock 'N Roll Train by AC/DC

 **Rock 'N Roll Train**

Nikolai and Gabriel charged the crowd of rebel demons and they didn't seem too frightened by a Knight, with the First Blade, and an Archangel, with an Angel Blade. The demons charged too and Nikolai had to focus against the Mark of Cain. He couldn't lose control and kill Gabriel. Although the idea was somewhat titillating, it would devastate Keara.

Nikolai slashed through the demons violently and they just coming, as if they longed for death at his hands. It was ridiculous, but he was all too happy to do it; less scum to threaten Keara. He would glance over at Gabriel and see two of him, playing tricks on the demons. They would attack one of him and discover it was just an illusion, only to be stabbed in the neck by the real Gabriel.

Nikolai continued to fight and didn't notice that the doors to the mansion creaked open as a little face peered out to see what was going on.

Keara looked out and gasped at all the dead Hellhounds. Ginger beside her growled in a saddened manner and nudged Keara with her snout, as if to say that it would be okay. Keara looked at every single one of them, feeling her heart sinking and breaking. Those precious Hellhounds were just killed and disregarded; there was no respect and it angered her.

She looked down at her hands, wondering if there was anything she could do for them. She stopped stupid boys from hurting a cat, but she couldn't stop these demons from killing three dozen Hellhounds. She began to cry and Ginger whined as she nudged Keara again with her snout.

At that moment, Nikolai glanced over his shoulder and saw Keara in the doorway. He felt a smidgen of panic and he turned, stabbed with more rage.

"Keara, close that damn door!" he shouted as he swung the First Blade violently, disemboweling two demons at a time.

As Keara's tears fell down her face, she looked out at the Hellhounds and stretched out her hands and focused on those bodies, on how they used to move. Most important, how they were first created.

A slight bit of black smoke began to rise out of the bodies one by one, then a small dark flame followed, growing until it engulfed the bodies of all three dozens of those Hellhounds. The dark fires burned, but they did not destroy the bodies, but rather seemed to heal the wounds and breathe life back into those creatures.

Ginger let out a low growl as she watched and when the bodies began to move, she let out a howl that pierced through the air. The demons froze in place, uncertain of what was going on. When they saw the dead Hellhounds rising, but morphing into larger versions of themselves, they seemed to have forgotten they were fighting the Knight and the Archangel. Many were stabbed, decapitated and cut into half, their blood splattering on the survivors, snapping them out of their shock.

The dead Hellhounds were now alive and bigger than Juliet, the biggest Hellhound at Crowley's command. Their resurrection wasn't quite complete and they were already setting their eyes on the demons that killed them. They were fierce and quick to attack the rogue demons, gashing with their larger fangs and claws. Even their tails seem to whip around like knives, cutting off limbs and stabbing through the chest cavities.

Keara looked out at her successful resurrections and shrieked with happiness. She closed the mansion doors and hugged Ginger.

Nikolai stopped for a moment and notice the large beasts chewing the demons like sharks and soon Gabriel and him had no one else to kill. They exchanged glances and began moving around to see if there were any survivors, and by survivors they meant demons that were barely alive because the Hellhounds had done a pretty damned good job.

The large beasts looked at them, licking their fangs, but they stayed put, enjoying life once again.

At that moment, the doors of the mansion opened again and Keara peered out with a beaming smile on her sweet little face.

"Did you do this?" Nikolai asked her and she came out with a hesitant Ginger behind her. Nikolai picked her up in a hug and then held her up with one arm securely underneath her.

"I did." She said, her eyes twinkling with joy and pride. "I brought them back." she said and Nikolai looked at them with an arched eyebrow.

"Yeah, and gave them an upgrade." He said and walked out as Keara praised him for fighting like the greatest warrior ever; how he looked like a mad demon and, as creepy as it was, it was super cool. Nikolai had to grin as Keara made no mention of Gabriel that followed them out, glancing at the large Hellhounds, impressed.

However, Gabriel seemed somewhat distant after they left, as if his attention was somewhere else.

"Hey, what's up?" Nikolai asked and Gabriel stopped and turned to look at him.

"The cage could open at any second." He replied and they both rushed to Lucifer's cage. They couldn't leave Keara behind, but they knew that, if anything was to happen, Nikolai would be her best chance of protection while Gabriel help to keep the cage closed.


	77. Resistance

The song here is "Resistance" by Muse

 **Resistance**

The cage was threatening to open and Clara couldn't keep it together for very much longer. Jesse was nearly knocked out cold and Lucifer had proposed a sort of deal where they all walk away from this without losing anything.

"C'mon, you're going to hurt yourself." Lucifer said to Clara with a slightly saddened grin. "Just let it go and everything will be fine." He added, his voice so calming and smooth.

"Clara," Crowley said and then glanced at Nerilla and Kelley. "You can do it." he said and then as he glanced at the cage, it seemed they all shared an idea. "Now!" he shouted.

Clara released her power on the cage long enough that it could open a fragment of an inch. She quickly raised her hand and sent Lucifer hard against the other wall of his cage as the cage opened enough that a small teenaged body could be tossed in. It happened all so fast that he had no idea what was going on. As Jesse's body was thrown in without a care, Clara quickly pulled the human soul towards with her power, like metal to a magnet, despite the fact that it was trying to hold onto the cage with confusion. Then, when the soul was free, the cage was shut with the crushing sound of metal like that of a car accident echoed, just before Lucifer could lunge and return the blow to Clara. He howled in raged and just stared at her with loathe.

Clara was back at struggling to keep the cage closed, but then with great relief, sensed the presence of an Archangel strong enough to help her close this cage. She tried to keep focused on the cage, but found it hard when she couldn't be happier to have Gabriel around.

Gabriel walked into the circular room just in time and saw Clara forcing the cage closed with her breathtaking amount of Cambion power.

"Get your feathered ass over here!" she shouted and as he rushed over, all others retreated, knowing that they couldn't help the Queen even if they wanted. As Gabriel came to Clara's aid, Lucifer stared at him with cold eyes. He remained silent, but the anger and disappoint was clear to see. All this time, he believed he had killed his little brother and there he was, alive and helping Hell to keep his big brother in his cage.

"How do we close this fucking thing?" Clara asked and Gabriel looked at the faint sigils that almost seemed invisible, as if they were never there. It was a spell to momentarily hide it, but after a while, it would backfire on purpose, allowing the cage to be damaged and buckle. He had to warn Crowley about this, but in the meantime, he had to fix the cage and that took some serious stuff. Another thing Crowley wouldn't like.

"I'm going to need you to hold on while I do something." He said and she growled.

"Hurry!" she said through clenched teeth, her arms beginning to tremble a little.

Gabriel rushed towards Crowley and asked for his assistance. They calmly walked back toward the cage while adding a fast pace to their walk, whispering about something. Rowena stepped up with her hand to her chest like a worried mother and Crowley shot an icy cold glare over his shoulder at her. She backed up, knowing that he was annoyed with her, that he still didn't trust her. She glanced over at her little granddaughter that was safe in the arms of the Knight; she looked at her parents with worry in her eyes.

Once they were at the cage, Gabriel told him that in order to repair the cage he needed a mixture of demon and angel blood to paint some sigils on the metal of the cage. He picked up a jagged piece of stone and dug into his palm, then passed it over to Crowley to do the same. Gabriel began painting sigils down the metal and told Crowley to paint over it with his blood.

"We have to draw all of them once in the same order on every vertical piece." Gabriel said and Crowley ignored him. Soon, they quickly did half of one wall of the cage, but when Crowley glanced over at Clara, she looked tired.

"Clara, Darling, you're doing fine." He said and she growled in protest; if his words of encouragement couldn't help her to physically keep the cage closed, than she didn't want to hear them. Crowley glanced at the cage and all the small sigils; knowing this was going to take a while and he wasn't sure Clara had it in her.

Rowena glanced over at Keara again and saw the worry increasing on her little face. She was afraid for her parents and then she whispered something to Nikolai. His face hardened as he listened and then he met her eyes, whispering something in return, making Keara protest.

"I can help." She disputed slightly louder. "Let me help Mommy." She said and began to wiggle in his arms as he refused to let her go. Keara continued to wiggle and it sounded like she was beginning to cry. He glanced over at Nerilla who seemed just as worried as he was.

"Alright, but I'm not leaving you. Got it?" he said and she kissed his cheek just before he set her on the ground. He held her hand as she rushed forward to her mother. Crowley caught sight of that and narrowed his eyes at Nikolai. Without looking over her shoulder, Clara expressed the same disapproval but growling out words.

"Get her out of here." she said, however Nikolai seemed to ignore her words.

Keara held out her hands like her mother, and surprisingly, after a few seconds, the cage rattled less and Clara was able to refocus and gather her strength. She glanced down at her daughter and, despite her clenched jaw, she didn't express her anger towards her daughter.

"Keara, this is dangerous for you. Go back with Nikolai." She said softly, expressing concern instead, but her daughter whined in protest. She looked up and met her mother's hard eyes and gave a sad smile.

"It's dangerous for you too. I resurrected thirty Hellhounds, Mommy, I can help you." She said and Clara's lips twitched into a half smile. She met Crowley's eyes for a brief moment and, although they both didn't care for the fact that Nikolai allowed their daughter to approach Lucifer's cage, they were quite proud of their daughter... worried, but proud nonetheless.

At that moment, Lucifer began fighting against the cage. It caused the cage to rattle, but his efforts didn't seem fruitful against two powerful Cambions. He seemed enraged now and he continued to fight against the cage, his eyes burning red.

At that moment, Jesse stirred, gaining strength from his failed fight with Nerilla and Kelley. He lifted up his head and looked around. When he realized that he was in the cage with Lucifer, he bolted upright and looked up at the fallen angel. He glanced around at the cage and then glanced at Clara with a smile growing on his face.

In that moment, Jesse figured he could break Lucifer out of his cage from the inside out. He stood up and tried to break the cage, but when nothing happened, he struggled until he caused himself a headache. He glanced up at Clara and then at Lucifer who turned his attention on him.

"You're powerless here." He said nearly in a hiss. It was then that Jesse realized that once in the cage, there was no way out; Cambion or Lucifer himself.

As Clara focused on the cage, as Gabriel and Crowley painted sigils on the bars of the cage, Keara looked up at Lucifer as he stared at the confused Jesse. That Cambion would probably end up dead like that angel. But this wasn't what was going through her mind.

Keara thought back to the story that Gabriel told her. He was a wonderful angel with a hard task, Michael thought this changed him and he fell from grace. He became the King of Hell, created demons and she felt bad for him. Now, he was this creature like a wild animal fighting for freedom with a wild fury in his eyes. She watched as he howled and threw himself against the cage and still part of her felt bad for him. He turned towards Jesse, making him cower in the corner like terrified prey.

He eventually stopped frightening Jesse and stopped fighting against the cage, standing still and breathing hard with that fury burning in his eyes. When he met Keara's gaze, she could feel Nikolai placing his hands on her shoulder in a protective manner. Lucifer seemed evil and dangerous, but Keara could see pain hidden deep underneath like a seed. If he was angry, he seemed to calm it down while staring at the little Cambion staring back at him.

When Crowley and Gabriel finished the last wall of the cage, he turned his attention towards them and the rage returned. They backed away from the cage once the sigils glowed and seemed to spread over the metal of the cage like hot wax. Immediately, the cage stopped rattling as some areas of the cage seemed to thicken and burn brightly, like someone welding metal. The cage was being repaired and Lucifer was trapped once again.

Clara stopped when the cage was fully repaired and she collapsed to the ground on her knees. When Keara collapsed too, she gathered her remaining strength to pull her into her arms.

"I'm pooped." She said and Clara let out an exhausted laugh. Nikolai approached and patted her head, but when Crowley advanced, Nikolai looked up with hesitation.

"I am severely upset." He said, but looked down at Keara and stroked her cheek. "And you, don't ever do that again." he said and she looked up at him without moving her head and gave a weak smile.

"Okay." She replied which got his lips to twitch into a half grin.

While Gabriel looked toward Clara and Keara, he could sense his brother staring down at him with anger burning in his eyes. However, when he spoke, he sounded calm as usual.

"How many times have you died?" Lucifer asked and when Gabriel met his hard eyes, he grinned with mischief.

"Never, to be technical." He said and then his grin faded. "Sorry, big brother." He added, but his apology meant nothing to Lucifer. He remained silent for a brief moment, making it sound like his apology wasn't meant for sealing him back in the cage again. "But there were some things I learnt elsewhere." He added, remembering that Lucifer proclaimed that he had taught his little brother everything and no trick fooled him.

"We're leaving." Crowley said as he helped Clara onto her feet. She was still too exhausted, so he lifted her off her feet and carried her in his arms, looking down at her with a slight grin.

"You owe me big." She said as she closed her eyes. He kissed her forehead and glanced over at Nikolai who picked Keara up into his arms. He held her tight in his arms as she closed her eyes and fell rapidly asleep.

Nerilla and Kelley walked up to the human soul on the ground and extended their hands. He was trembling and he was quite wounded. All they could see were his wide eyes, full of fear. They realized that he wouldn't reach out for help, so they had to grab him by the arms and gently lift him up.

"Don't worry, your suffering is over." Nerilla said, certain that Clara would personally see to it.

They left the circular room and Lucifer was once again trapped in his cage with another captive, only this one was fresh meat to pulverize.


	78. Dream

The song here is Dream by Imagine Dragons

 **Dream**

They walked back up the corridors and everyone was silent, except for Rowena who was trying to speak with her son. She insisted that she demonstrated her devotion for him and that he was being unreasonable to not see that she was a caring mother, ungrateful even. Then, she said it was a no-wonder that demons retaliated against him; he had everyone fight his fight for him, even his wife and child.

Crowley sighed with frustration and she continued her ranting.

"Really, Fergus, after all I've done for you, it's a bitter pill." She said and as they turned down the corridor down to the mansion, Crowley glanced over his shoulder at Nerilla and she nodded her head. Suddenly, large masculine hands of a Crossroad supervisor named Hector grabbed Rowena's wrist, yanked it behind her back and did the same to her free wrist before she could realize what was happening. "Fergus, what is this?" she asked and he continued walking.

"I'll deal with you later." He replied and she was dragged down another corridor, followed by Nerilla and Kelley who continued to escort the human soul who was torn badly, nearly beyond recognition. Once Clara and Keara are safe, Crowley would no doubt tend to his identification.

Gabriel walked a little faster to catch up with Nikolai and Crowley and glanced over their shoulders at the exhausted Cambions. There was no doubt that there was goodness in them, despite the fact that they have embraced the demons within. They fought against Lucifer breaking free. Yes, one could argue that they did it to protect their place as Hell royalty, not to forget to mention Crowley, but it was the lesser of two evils. And to be honest, Gabriel was okay with it.

"Good kicking ass with you, Gabe." Nikolai said, which was spontaneous, but Gabriel grinned all the same. "But it seems I'm still Keara's favorite." He added, which made Gabriel glance at Nikolai with a mocked put-off smirk.

"I cannot see why." Crowley muttered and Nikolai let out a laugh of disbelief.

"I'm handsome, for one, and she likes how I own every battle." He replied and Crowley huffed in a disputing manner.

"And how you allowed her to risk her life?" he asked and Nikolai made a sort of growl sound as if to say that he would never live this down. He glanced over at Crowley and narrowed his eyes, ready to defend his actions.

"She wanted to help her mother and I couldn't say no." he said and looked away, but his tone was serious. "She was scared, Crowley. For the first time in her little life, she was scared and she wanted to help Clara. I couldn't say no and I was there with her, ready to protect her with my life." He added and they both remained silent with Gabriel watching them attentively.

It seemed like Crowley was realizing that, despite the fact that his daughter was a powerful Cambion, she was still a little girl unaware of all the dangers in existence and the fact that her parents can be vulnerable. That must have been hard for Keara to comprehend, since she had always known her parents to be invincible.

Crowley glanced over at Nikolai, his expression blank, but not hard or angry.

"I have no doubt." Crowley replied, but there was no sarcasm in his voice. He understood why Nikolai allowed Keara to help her mother, but it still didn't mean that he liked it. Both remained silent and Gabriel watched on with a smirk. To think that two Cambions had everyone in Hell wrapped around their fingers, especially the most powerful, seemed like hybrids weren't such abominations as they were lead to believe. They were precious and, in the beginning, only Gabriel and Crowley could have seen that. Now, everyone saw how unique they were. Too bad the angels couldn't have seen that with their own hybrid. However, now Anne and Gadreel's unborn Nephilim might have the chance, being called Ezekiel's legacy.

When they arrived at the mansion, there were chunks of dead demons everywhere while large dark beasts lay asleep near the walls of the cavern serving as an entrance to the mansion. Obviously, these monsters killed the rebel demons, but also devoured them like doggy rawhide bones. Crowley glanced over at Nikolai who smiled innocently, but with a flare of admiration in his eyes.

"Keara did that." He said and when Crowley arched an eyebrow, Nikolai gave a half grin. "No joke; she resurrected Hellhounds, but somehow made them… gigantic." He added, and when Crowley glanced over his shoulder at Gabriel, he nodded his head.

"She's an incredibly little package of dynamite." Gabriel said as he glanced over Nikolai's shoulder to look down at her with a smile. Crowley glanced at his daughter as well, wondering how she managed to resurrect Hellhounds, let alone morph them into Cadillac's.

They walked past the sleeping giant Hellhounds with a slight hesitance, but when they opened their eyes, Crowley knew there was no reason to be unsure. They may be large monsters, but they were still loyal hounds of Hell; they were peaceful now that the threat was over and that Keara was back home safely.

They walked through the doors and made their way to the bedrooms. The mansion was silent, but untouched, which was good. When Nikolai was about to turn to Keara's room, Crowley cleared his throat.

"Clara will want to have Keara with her." he said and Nikolai nodded his head with a slight grin.

They walked to the master bedroom and placed them both on the bed. Gabriel grabbed a throw blanket that was neatly folded on one of the chairs in the glamorous room, unfolded it and placed it over the sleeping mother and daughter. All three of them just stood there overlooking the exhausted Cambions in a silent admiration of them as well as love.

"Now, please stay in the mansion." Crowley said after a few seconds of silence, as he turned to walk out of the room. "I'm off to deal with the witch." He added with some irritation in his voice and walked out into the corridor.

Nikolai and Gabriel exchanged glances and looked back down at Clara and Keara. They continued in silence for several minutes until Gabriel let out a low chuckle.

"This is a little creepy." He said and Nikolai hummed in agreement.

"Yeah, we probably should do something more useful." He said and they both slowly walked out of the room, glancing one last time at Clara and Keara.

"You go with Papa Smurf and I'll stay here?" Gabriel asked as they stared at Clara and Keara from the doorway. Nikolai slowly turned to Gabriel with a slight frown.

"Did you just call Crowley –" he began, but Gabriel let out a dark mischievous chuckle.

"Spur of the moment. Just go; I have a feeling it'll get ugly." Gabriel said and Nikolai chuckled this time.

"You think?" he asked and then left the room. Gabriel glanced back at them, asleep so peacefully, and quietly closed the door to leave them be.


	79. Only For You

The song here is "Only For You" by Amoric

 **Only For You**

Crowley walked back down the corridors, knowing that Nerilla and Kelley had his mother thrown back in her cell. However, he was going back to the office. There was no way he was speaking with his mother in that hallway of cells. He wanted something more comfortable. He had been stressed out over his Queen and daughter using all of their strength to keep Lucifer in his cage and he had walked all over Hell. He wanted his desk chair and a glass of whiskey. Maybe scotch too.

He turned the doorknob of the office, pushed the door open and found Nerilla, Kelley and Hector all on Clara's side of the office. They turned to look at him as he made his way to his desk and take his seat.

"Kelley, whiskey and a scotch please." He said and she quickly moved into action. She then walked over to his desk with both glasses with surprising speed, but at least she didn't spill any of the godly elixirs. He took the whiskey first and took a long sip, feeling it burn on his tongue. It felt good, especially when it went down his throat. It took the stress away.

Kelley smiled and then walked back over to Nerilla.

The only thing that bothered him like a salt burn was the human soul that cowered in the corner, shaking with wide eyes staring off into the distance. Looking at that soul, he could see the trauma that would never be repaired. It might be easier to make a demon out of him; making a psychotic demon, no doubt, but this soul will never be a functioning human again. Sam and Dean survived well only due to the fact that they weren't stuck in Lucifer's cage for about several years, give or take. This soul was beyond any hope of saving. The only mercy Crowley could accord to him is to demonize him.

"Thank you for your time, Hector. I'll pass on your request to the King." Nerilla said, snapping Crowley out of his thoughts of the human soul, and at that mention of a request, he snapped his fingers and casually held out his hand for the documents. Kelley happily took them over to him to read. As he brought it up to see, while drinking his whiskey, it was a request for a couple days absence, as a sort of vacation for his good work on disabling Jesse Turner.

It was quite pretentious of him, but Crowley wasn't going to argue. He had to give Hector a bit of credit and, Hell forbid, faith to keep a good relationship in hopes that there won't be another Stephanie to fuck things up.

Crowley dropped the papers on the desk, placed the glass beside the document and quickly signed it. He handed it back to Kelley and resumed drinking. When Kelley returned the documents to Nerilla, Hector stood up and flashed them a charming smile.

"Thank you." He said as he fixed the buttons on his suit jacket, and then glanced at Crowley. "It was a pleasure, my King." He said and when Crowley met his eyes, he knew Hector didn't particularly care for him, but was showing respect anyway, to confirm that good relationship which would be to cover his own ass in the future.

Crowley watched Hector walk out of the office and then he glanced at his glass of whiskey nearly empty. Thankfully, he had a glass of scotch next.

"Um," Nerilla began as she sat back in Clara's chair and turned it to better face Crowley. "I was wondering if you'd know who this human soul is." She added and, without looking at her, Crowley nearly mumbled the name out with a hint of pity.

"Adam Milligan." He said and when Nerilla said nothing, he sighed. "The long lost third Winchester boy." He added and then she whispered a sigh of surprise. "Let Clara deal with him when she awakens and bring in the witch." He said as he drank the last of his whiskey. Nerilla stood up and left the office with Kelley in toe, way too eager to please their King with this request.

As Crowley sat in his chair, drinking his scotch and trying not to look at the twist soul of a third Winchester brat, he thought of how to handle his mother. When Gabriel asked for his help to repair the damages on Lucifer's cage, he also told him that Rowena's spell backfired purposely. His mother was no better than those revolting rebellious demons. She was about to unleash Lucifer; yet another way of killing her son that she claimed she loved. What a hypocritical scheming bitch.

When Nerilla and Kelley came back to the office with her, they pushed her in with dark grins and closed the door behind them. She turned and glared at Crowley who sat comfortably in his chair drinking scotch. She made a sort of growl through clenched teeth with an expression of disgust.

"Is that how you treat your mother when she helps you?" she asked and took her role once again of a wounded loving mother. "Is this the thanks I get?" she asked and Crowley held his glass of scotch up and looked at the amber liquid glistening.

"I must say mother, you haven't changed in all these years." he said and she stopped her ranting. However, she glared at him with cold eyes.

"As have you." She replied and the corner of his lips twitched. "I would have thought my son, being King of Hell, would act like it." she said and when he glanced at her, she grinned wickedly at him. "It's no wonder the demons have rebelled against you. You have everyone else fight for you while you just stand there like a useless scrote." She said and Crowley narrowed his eyes at her. "Here you are, filling your gut like a lily-livered fool. No more excuses. Show them how strong you really are. Be a bloody king!" she shouted, making Adam tremble in the corner, closing his eyes tightly and burying his head nearly between his knees.

Crowley stared at his glass of scotch and took a sip, listening to her huff out her frustration that he was ignoring her.

"You're a pathetic excuse for a King, for a demon, for a son." She said with a vile tone of voice and burning anger in her eyes. "Even my wee granddaughter has more –" she began, but he cut her off with a dry tone.

"We're done." He said and she fell into silence. "I want you out." he added and she let out a chuckle of disbelief.

"You aren't serious." She said and he met her eyes with a dull darkness, as if he grew bored of her and was indeed serious.

"Deadly." He replied and looked back at his scotch.

"But I'm your mother." She said and it disgusted him.

"You may have brought me into this world, but you were never my mother." He said and it shocked her into a loathsome rage. "I put up with your lies, your sad little schemes because… no." he said, letting his sentence fall, but deciding that it needed to be said. "Because maybe you were right. Maybe I did lose my edge." He said thinking to the beginning, with the human blood binges and getting a Cambion to accept his proposal because she was what he needed; someone with a lingering humanity, but with a demon strength that would remind him to stay dark and ruthless. She was so powerful that he let her take charge, despite their equality. "But that ends now." Crowley said, nearly in a daze as he was deep in thought. He wasn't going to put up with everyone thinking he was weak.

"You… you can't." Rowena said and when he met her eyes, they were sharp and cold.

"I can. I'm bloody Crowley!" he snapped. "I'm the King of Hell. I do what I want, when I want. And I don't take orders from you." He added and she scowled at him, balling her hands into fists.

"Everything you have, I will watch it burn!" she hissed through clenched teeth.

"I'll give you five minutes. After that, pray I don't see you again." he said as he calmly sipped his scotch. However, his mother wasn't leaving that quickly, certainly not without a fight.

"Abite!" she shouted, throwing her hands up just as objects in the office either flew across the room or shattered. Some did both, but in those few seconds of throwing a fit, the office was trashed as if a tornado had just passed through.

Adam remained in place, trembling still, nearly covered in documents, pieces of glass and wood.

Rowena glared at her son just as Nikolai, who had been standing outside the office with Nerilla and Kelley, walked in looking like the Mark of Cain was beginning to itch again. He glanced at Crowley, waiting for a command.

 **For your enjoyment, scrote is a Scottish insult meaning scrotum.**


	80. Everybody Wants to Rule the World

The song here is "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Lorde

 **Everybody Wants to Rule the World**

Just as Nikolai burst through the room with a flicker of mild fury in his eyes, and the First Blade in his hand, Rowena wasted no time with another spell to exact her anger on her son. As Nikolai turned to her, she pulled something out from her bosom and tossed it at him. At that moment, Crowley knew it was a hex bag and his Knight grabbed it before he could warn him. He knew his mother's spells to leave a horrible after-affect and this would be no different.

"Impetus beastiarum." She said and then Nikolai growled as the arm wielding the First Blade began to tremble uncontrollably. His voice was beginning to sound more like a Hellhound and less like himself. "Dele malum hoc." Rowena added and when Nikolai turned his eyes towards Crowley, they were bloodshot with blood beginning to tear down his face. This was exactly the horrible after-affect he expected.

"Let's see your precious Clara get you out of this one." Rowena said, giving a small wave to Crowley with a smug smile, then walking out of the office as Nerilla and Kelley stood frozen in fear. Nerilla and Kelley quickly snapped out of it and chased Rowena down the hall, whistling for some Hellhound backup. No doubt they would receive a spell or two and they might not recover as easily with his mother's rotten spells.

Crowley was stranded in the destroyed office with a Knight of Hell under the magic of a lunatic looking to kill her son by any means necessary. Nikolai was under her spell; the First Blade and the Mark of Cain too eager to kill, however Crowley could tell he was trying to fight it. He was too strong to fall prey to the spell, but it still choked him.

"Nikolai, don't let it win." He said as his Knight just growled like a wild animal. He should have figured his mother would do something like this; throw a fit that would serve as bait and cast a spell on the most terrifying killing machine in Hell; the perfect death she could have planned for her son. "The Mark will protect you, just keep fighting." He said and Nikolai slowly advanced, despite the fact it looked like his legs were as heavy as cast-iron. He was struggling against the spell and it worried Crowley. He knew that Nikolai would have a difficult time fighting this. The spell wouldn't kill him because of the Mark, but he needed something to intervene.

At that moment, his mother's words returned and haunted him, they seem to laugh at him; once again he couldn't fight his own battle. His mother was good for that; leaving a forever-lasting scratch that stung in moments like this. It's either he leans on someone to save his ass or he thinks quickly of an exit strategy. He could escape his vessel just in time, but that would still leave Nikolai his mother's puppet of destruction.

Suddenly, a very worried Clara in her pant suit appeared in the doorway behind Nikolai. She met Crowley's eyes and slowly stepped in, glancing at their Knight, then at the human soul in the corner, stuck in his own world of trauma.

"Nikolai," she spoke with a soft calming voice. "You don't want to do this." She added and when she walked around him to see his bloody eyes. The worry deepened on her face, but she didn't stop trying to snap him out of whatever this was. "Crowley is your friend; you don't want to hurt him. Remember what we said about Keara? Whenever things get rough, think of her. You'd do anything to protect her. Well, don't hurt her father. It would break her heart." She said approaching to eventually stand in between both Nikolai and Crowley.

"Be careful." Crowley warned her, but she was confident she could get Nikolai to break the spell.

Nikolai advanced and his body seemed to tremble now as he struggled to stay away from Clara and Crowley. He looked at Clara and for a moment, it seemed he was asking for help. His hand lifted up the First Blade with great difficulty and it was then that Clara's voice took on a more authoritative tone.

"Nikolai, stop this. Snap out of it or I will kill you." She said and it seemed to work, but his arm still shook; the spell wasn't breaking just yet. Then, because of his struggle, the spell seemed to do something that rendered him powerless for a brief moment. The First Blade came up fast and Clara violently flicked her hand towards the wall, sending him flying into it, breaking the wall and revealing their old apartment on the other side.

Clara quickly turned to Crowley and held his face in her hands. She was relieved, but the worry remained until she could be certain it was over. Crowley pulled her into his arms and held onto her tightly; like they were stressed out enough with Lucifer nearly breaking out.

"You alright?" he asked her and he could feel her nodding her head. She was upset, but was quickly processing through the adrenaline.

There was movement on the other side of the wall and they could see a very dusty Nikolai standing up. He was arched over, coughing out dust and then rubbing the blood away from his eyes.

"Oh, that hurt like a bitch." He said and Clara exhaled with relief. Crowley kissed her forehead as she glanced at Nikolai with a tired smile. When he walked through the hole, he couldn't meet Crowley's eyes. He stood straight, dusted himself off and approached slowly.

"You okay?" she asked and he nodded his head. He then slowly looked up at Crowley and there was shame in his eyes.

"I – I'm sorry." He said and Crowley just stared at him, his expression difficult to read.

"I thought demons weren't capable of 'sorry'." He replied, referencing to what Nikolai had said long ago before all of this began. Nikolai's lips twitched, but it didn't make him feel any better.

"Just please tell me I get to kill the bitch witch." He muttered and Crowley grinned.

"With great pleasure." He said and Nikolai looked up, all shame vanishing from his eyes. Crowley looked down at Clara, wondering if having his mother killed really was the best option. Could he have his mother killed? A while ago, he thought about what Clara had done with her mother and, technically, Clara had killed her mother, so it was do-able. He could have his mother killed the same way she would have him killed; at the tip of the old deadly jawbone.

They left the office and set out to find Rowena. Surely, Nerilla and Kelley must have succeeded in capturing her with Hellhounds. However, Crowley was certain she had figured a way out of Hell.


	81. Let Us Burn

The song here is "Let Us Burn" by Within Temptation

 **Let Us Burn**

Eventually, they found Nerilla and Kelley rubbing their faces as Hellhound began retreating. Rowena was nowhere in sight and the Hellhounds wouldn't have stopped if she were still in Hell. Clara checked on both of them and their eyes were bloody, but there was no serious damage.

"Bitch did some stupid spell and threw rocks at our faces." Nerilla said and Kelley pointed to the floor of the corridor. They were small little spiky stones that probably came from the cells. Nikolai growled and balled his hands into fists.

"Oh, I'm going to stuck her like a pig." He said and Crowley's lips twitched into a grin, having been at that level of hatred with his mother. It was only useful if one actually succeeded.

"We'll find her." Clara said and then glanced back in the direction of the office. "But we also have a soul to care for. Do we know who he is?" she asked and before she could glance at Crowley, Nerilla blurted out the answer.

"A Winchester." She said and Clara frowned in confusion.

"Adam Milligan, their brother." Crowley said and looked at the expression that remained on Clara's face. "Long story, Darling." He said just to cut to more important matters. He didn't have time to explain the whole thing.

"We send out Hellhounds to track your mother and we return him upstairs." She said and Crowley gave a low chuckle which she didn't appreciate. "What?" she asked him while narrowing her eyes.

"How, may I ask, that he go on with the memories of Lucifer using him like a punching bag?" he asked and Clara frowned at that question. "Darling, he cannot be repaired; he's not a broken toy. He's a mangled soul that's been tortured. He'll be another strait-jacket in a padded room, stuck in an illusion of Lucifer's cage; reliving his torture again and again." he added and she glanced away. It was true and there wasn't much she could do.

Then, an idea came to her and when she glanced back up at him, he arched an eyebrow.

"Maybe I could peak into his head." she said and his arched eyebrow rose up a little more. "It's worth a try." She added and summoned Hellhounds. They arrived quickly in dozens, all licking their fangs and snapping at each other as if this was a competition. "Calm." She said and they all stared at her with glowing eyes. "Find the witch Rowena. Follow her scent and stay on her trail." She added and the Hellhounds shot pass them like bullets, howling in the far distance. They were already leaving Hell and chasing down Crowley's mother.

Clara turned to Nerilla and Kelley, tapping their shoulders.

"I could fix that." She said and Nerilla shook her head.

"Save your strength, my Queen." She said humbly and glanced at Kelley that seemed disappointed. "This is just a parlor trick, isn't it Kelley?" she asked and then she nodded, still looking disappointed. Nikolai grinned and gestured for them to walk back up to corridor.

"Go rest." Clara said and then looked at Nikolai.

"No." he said, raising his hand up as if Clara was about to say the same to him. "I'm with you two." He added and followed them back to the office.

When Clara stepped in, Adam was still in the corner, but this time he was crying like a wounded animal and muttering for his brothers to save him. She approached him and slowly knelt down on her knees beside him. She softly touched his arm and he jumped, pushing himself further into the corner like the floor could come right out from under him, pushing her further away. He was terrified.

"Adam," she said softly, reaching deep and pulling the human within to the surface. "My name is Clara. You're out of the cage and I'm going to help you." She said and he just stared at her with wide eyes. "Do you understand me?" she asked and he didn't respond.

She softly reached out to him and touched his cheek. It was a soothing touch that seemed to calm him down. When he seemed to trust her, she placed her index finger to his temple and tried to peer into his memories. Clara had never done something like this, but she was certain she could help him.

She closed her eyes and saw a quick flash of Lucifer's dark sinister face and red eyes. Adam flinched violently and began retreating to his corner again, scratching at the walls. Clara tore her eyes open and tried to calm him down, but he was stuck in his memories again.

She pulled back and stood with Crowley and Nikolai, watching Adam tremble in fear.

"I'd hate to say I told you so." Crowley said and she shot him a glare.

"Then don't." she replied and glanced back at Adam as she bit her lower lip trying to figure out how to help him. Maybe she could take his memories if someone helped him remain calm and see to his recovery. She glanced back at Crowley and received the same arched eyebrow as before. "Maybe Anne could help." She said and he just stared at her, slightly narrowing his eyes as if trying to understand why she wanted to heal Adam so badly.

Before he could protest, she decided that was the course of action. She ordered Nikolai to quickly check in on Keara and then asked that Crowley go up and talk with Castiel. If they brought up Adam's soul, Castiel could have his body ready.

"Clara." He said and she looked at him as if she had just been snapped out of her thoughts. "We don't need Trench Coat for that." He said, but Clara titled her head at him with a slight grin.

"We'll need all hands on deck if we're to keep him out of a strait-jacket." She replied.

Nikolai returned with a grin on his face and informed them that Keara hadn't moved and that Gabriel was watching over her like a real Guardian Angel. And, while he was at it, Nerilla and Kelley are resting with ice on their faces, complaining that they don't get enough vacation time for this shit.

Crowley narrowed his eyes, but Clara brought them back to the task at hand.

"We're going up." She said and turned to Adam, getting him to trust her once again, promising him that he was going to see Sam and Dean.

"I don't understand why she cares so much." Crowley whispered to Nikolai. They exchanged glances, watching as Clara got Adam to stand up and to take hold of her hand.

"Because she met Lucifer." Nikolai said and lead the way when Clara was certain he could handle leaving Hell.


	82. How Soon is Now

The song here is "How Soon is Now?" By t.A.t.U.

 **How Soon is Now**

Rowena found a way out of Hell, using a sigil she thought would do the trick. It didn't exactly open a portal to the location of her choice, and she wasn't even sure where she was, but it was good enough.

Her son was a fool to think that he could tell her to leave and there would be no consequences. He was ungrateful to everything she had done for him and there was nothing she could give him that was good enough. After a while, she just wanted him to vanish from her life and it was perfect, until he crowned himself King of Hell and made her his prisoner.

All she needed now was a confirmation that he was dead and life would be perfect again.

Rowena found refuge in a small cabin that hadn't been used in months. It was quiet and deep in the woods.

She had gathered all the ingredients she needed for the "Wings of Titania" spell. She had dirt, foreign herbs and bones all in a bowl. She had to erect the bones to create a structure that could withhold an object. She had a small piece of paper that contained Clara's signature, which wasn't quite an object belonging to her, but it was close enough. Rowena placed the piece of paper on the bones and once everything was set up perfectly, she tilted her head back and softly spoke the incantation.

"Wings of Titania, bear mine eyes aloft as I bid thee." She said, her eyes morphing into a smoky white as she could see Clara through a bird's blurry eye of view, so it would seem.

She could see Clara in an empty stretch of dirt road with open fields, holding a soul near to her with Nikolai not too far behind her. He seemed well, as if her spell had broken. Then, with frustration, she saw Crowley step up and grin at a man in a trench coat.

"What happened, Crowley? There was something that even the angels felt. What happened to Micah?" the man asked and Rowena watched as her son arched an eyebrow at him.

"Is that how you greet me?" he asked and then narrowed his eyes. "No wonder you don't have much friends. One question only and a 'How do you do?' wouldn't kill you." He said with a hint of sarcasm. The man didn't seem to care and glanced at Nikolai, Clara, then the shimmering soul with them.

"What –?" he began, but Crowley cut him off.

"I believe you've met Adam Milligan." He said and the man seemed shocked. "Clara will resurrect him, but you Castiel, need to heal him." he said and Castiel seemed shocked. He glanced at Crowley with a hard expression.

"I couldn't do that very well for Sam. What makes you think I can for Adam?" he asked and Crowley narrowed his eyes as if he didn't want questions, he wanted obedience.

"You'll do it." Crowley said and Castiel frowned, not appreciating that authoritative tone.

"If you can't, I'm sure Anne can." Clara said and the angel seemed somewhat shocked again.

"She's pregnant. This could harm her and the baby." Castiel said and Clara mocked his shocked expression.

"Really? I didn't notice from the last time I saw her." she said and then frowned. "Thank you, Captain Obliviously Simple, but Anne has a magic touch that you just don't have." She added and Castiel frowned at her. "She's my family; we help each other out. Now, are you helping or not?" she asked him and he didn't seem sure, but he looked at Adam with a hint of sadness.

"I'll do what I can." He replied and Crowley grinned.

"Good boy." He said and they all glanced at Clara as she held onto Adam, closing her eyes. The ground under them shook and began to open up. Something was rising to the surface and, at that moment, Adam's soul was sucked into the ground; it erupted ferociously and she bent down, grabbing someone's hand and pulling them up to the surface.

Adam in his physical form gasped for air. Castiel came to help him out of the ground and held him up as he processed the shock of being alive again. He glanced around and looked at Clara with wide eyes.

There was a distant look in his eyes and he seemed afraid.

"Is Anne still at the Men of Letters?" Clara asked and Castiel nodded his head. "Good. Race you." She said and they were gone, leaving Castiel to be the last to leave.

As Rowena was following Clara, the scenery changed and it was the interior of some war-time place with a flash of tile floors and furniture to fit an expensive library. Crowley and Nikolai stood next to Clara as a man walked into the room. He was rugged, but good-looking. He glared and advanced, looking more annoyed than afraid or angry. He obviously knew Clara and Crowley.

"What the Hell do you want, Crowley?" the man asked and Rowena watched as her son smirked.

"Hello, Squirrel." He said and the man flared his nostrils. "It's been too long." He added and the man balled his hands into fists.

"Not long enough, you mean." He replied and then another man walked into the room. This one was tall with longer hair. His jaw clenched and before he could say anything, Crowley greeted him.

"Moose." He said and the man narrowed his eyes.

"How many times are you going to show up?" he asked and Crowley gave a dark smile.

"I never pegged you as the type to tire of my visits." He said and the tall man just scowled. "I've actually come to return something of yours." He replied and both men exchanges glances. They didn't trust Crowley. It seems they have dealt with Rowena's son quite often.

"Like what?" the shorter one asked. "Heartburn?" he added. "Peace and quiet?" he added just before Crowley narrowed his eyes with a hint of annoyance.

At that moment, Castiel stepped in with Adam who seemed too traumatized to notice what was going on around him. When both men saw Adam, they were frozen in shock, but they quickly overcame it and rushed over to him.

"Adam?" the shorter one said. It was then that Rowena knew the two men were Sam and Dean, although she wasn't sure who was who.

"How…?" the taller one began as he glanced over at Crowley. Both brothers checked their youngest brother over, talking to him and asking him questions, but they realized that he was too distant. The two brothers glanced back at Crowley for some answers, but it was Clara who stood out with her smiling kindly at them.

At that moment, two women and another man stepped into the room, looking puzzled at the commotion. The youngest was pregnant and, although she didn't seem like a witch, she did radiate some power. So this was Clara's family… how interesting.

"I'll give you a 'Hell exclusive' to better explain." Clara began and told them all about the rebellion and Jesse Turner trying to free Lucifer. She even told them about Rowena, without mentioning she was Crowley's mother, and while giving very little detail. The only thing Clara really said was that Rowena worked with Jesse and she was highly untrustworthy. She went on to say that she noticed Adam's soul and knew he didn't deserve to stay in there.

While listening, it didn't seem that the brothers really cared for details. They just wanted to know how Clara got their brother out of the cage. It was at that moment that the anger in their eyes vanished.

Everyone stared at Adam in a saddened silence. They could see that he suffered greatly in Lucifer's cage and they began to wonder how he could ever be normal again.

"I can't get into his memories without him freaking out." Clara began and the Winchester brothers glared at her with anger. Was his trauma an inconvenience to her? "I need someone to calm him while I see what I can do. Then he'll need to heal." She concluded and Anne stepped up with a light smile of her glowing face.

"I could do that." She said and approached Adam with compassion in her eyes. "Hi Adam. I'm Anne and I'm going to help you." She said and it was only then that Adam lifted his eyes up to hers, actually looking at someone.

"This is an illusion." He said with fear in his voice, but when she touched his hands, he looked at her as if a nightmare had just been chased away.

"You're safe." She replied so softly that there seemed to be magic in her touch and her voice.

At that moment, Rowena was pulled from her out of body experience as the howls of Hellhounds ripped through the air. They weren't close, but they have found her. She had to act quickly or they could drag her back down to Hell.

And over her dead body she was going back.

Rowena quickly began preparing ingredients to a spell that could hide and protect her from the Hellhounds. She soon realized that her refuge could possibly be her prison. As well as it was out of Hell, she was fine with that.

 **And yes, I brought Adam back because Supernatural didn't. All love to Supernatural and the writers, but did they forget that they left a character in Lucifer's cage? I'm a little disappointed that in the mid-season 11 finale, we got so close, seeing Lucifer, but no Adam.**


	83. I'll Keep on Dreaming

The song here is "I'll Keep on Dreaming" by Stream of Passion

 **I'll Keep on Dreaming**

Anne was able to just talk to Adam and he was present and calm. He listened to her and was able to see his brothers. He recognized them and was able to hug them. Clara approached and smiled at Anne with admiration. She didn't need spells to work her magic; she was just a natural. As Anne met her gaze, she let out a soft laugh.

"What?" she asked and Clara glanced down at her stomach which was poking out.

"Are you due yet?" she asked and Anne rubbed her stomach.

"It's coming up fast. I sort of lost track with everything that was going on. And I was pretty stressed out." she said and Clara placed her arm around her shoulders in a half-hug.

"I completely understand." She said and Anne nodded her head.

"I don't suppose Nephilims grow fast too." She said and Clara shrugged her shoulders.

"Wouldn't know there." She replied and they both looked up when Viviane and Gadreel stepped up. Clara smiled at them, happy to see that they were glad to see her.

"I'm ready." Adam said, his voice nearly quivering. He had spoken to his brothers, told them what misery he had experienced and how he wanted it all to go away. He was about to lose his calm again, so Anne quickly returned to his side.

Clara stepped up and smiled at him.

"Do you remember me?" she asked and Adam nodded his head with a couple of tears forming.

"You took me out of there." He said and he managed to give her a smile, as weak and tired at he was. "Thanks." He added and Clara smiled with kindness.

"I'm ready when you are." She said and Anne got Adam to relax in a chair, to fall in a sort of trance. He was calm and when Anne nodded, Clara approached and tried to get into his memories like she had back in the office.

She placed her fingers at his temples and focused on getting to his memories. There were some flashes of Lucifer, some dark flashes were she could hear him screaming for his brothers, but she had to go deeper. The most painful memories he buried deep.

Once she began to dig, he began stirring and flinching. Anne had to speak to him to calm him down. Clara dug deeper to see flashes of Lucifer and Michael tearing into Adam, making him scream out. He begged them to stop and they continued torturing him rather than fighting each other.

Adam was losing it and Anne had to focus harder on keeping him calm. It was getting more difficult the deeper Clara dug into his memories.

Clara dug deeper to see them hurting Adam without mercy. He begged to die and they laughed at him, telling him that he could never die. They tortured him again and again, never stopping. It was continuous torture and it made Clara sick. Not even demonized souls got tortured for that long.

Then, the memory of when Michael was brutally killed by Lucifer. Michael tired of torturing Adam, but continued to insult him by calling him a pathetic vessel; continued to belittle him by comparing him to Dean. When Michael wanted to have it out with Lucifer, that's when it got ugly. Lucifer wasn't interested in having a re-match Centuries in the making, but finally gave in when Michael wouldn't shut up.

He swung some deadly punches that nearly ripped Michael's face off and the blows continued. Michael threw in some good punches, but they were all over the cage. Adam had to keep moving around like a trapped rat or he'd be trampled by the battling brothers.

Lucifer eventually had Michael pinned and torn out his throat with his own teeth. Bright light illuminated and Michael was gone, leaving Adam alone with the vicious Lucifer, who was ready to continue torching his cell-mate.

Clara dug once more and Adam couldn't take it anymore. His body convulsed and Anne had to concentrate hard to keep him calm. A faint light emanated from her and that calmed Adam down long enough for Clara to see how Lucifer tormented Adam. He toyed with his mind and memories, made him believe he was free and back with his family, all back from the grave. Lucifer would reveal the cage and laugh at him, tear into him again and again.

Lucifer was a merciless monster, yet what scared Adam so much wasn't the fact that Lucifer enjoyed inflicting pain; it was a reflection. Lucifer was angry at God and he was in pain as well. He wanted everyone to feel his pain and to understand him. He was angry at everything and he wished that he had never taken the task of the Mark of Cain. He just wanted to go back home, but he wanted things to change.

With the torture, Adam broke and Lucifer finally left him alone, as he had accomplished his goal; Adam was as broken as he was.

Clara felt heartbroken, but this wasn't about Lucifer; this was about Adam. She concentrated on extracting those memories, but it was then that she realized that those memories had to go somewhere. There was no garbage for unwanted memories. There was only one thing she could do and, as much as she regretted it already, she knew she had more strength to handle them than Adam.

Clara took the memories within herself and, bit by bit, she could feel Adam relaxing without needing Anne to let her magic flow over him like a wave. The more memories she took into herself, the more they weighed heavily and the more they twisted her gut. She was beginning to wonder why she cared to save this human so much. Why was she taking these memories away? Why did she return him to his brothers?

She thought of Anne and Viviane, of Gadreel and the baby. They were all the family Clara had left and she did anything to keep them together and alive. She resurrected Viviane because Anne didn't deserve to be without her loving mother. It reminded Clara of living without her dear grandmother; the only person in her life that loved her.

It was safe to say that Clara had a soft spot for keeping families and loved ones together.

As the last of the memories were extracted, she could see the damage on Adam's soul that needed to be healed, if it was even possible.

Clara pulled away from Adam, swaying slightly on her feet. Crowley came up and held her against him, brushing her face as he frowned with concern.

"The memories are gone." she said, but as she looked into Crowley's eyes, he knew what she had done. She knew he caught her ambiguous honesty, but she was too shaken to better hide the truth.

As Adam remained in his trance, Anne gestured for Castiel to come over and check him. Castiel placed his hand on Adam's chest and frowned with concern.

"His soul has been damaged." He said and looked up at Sam and Dean with sad eyes. He wanted to help, but there was nothing he could do. The brothers turned their attention to Anne and she looked down at her hands.

"Is there something you can do?" Gadreel asked her as he took her hands into his. She thought long and hard, then nodded.

"There might be something I can do. Let me go research." She said and Gadreel followed her, willing to help her. Viviane approached and kept the brothers company by encouraging them to continue hoping for the best.

Nikolai approached Crowley and glanced at Clara, worried about how much strength she had used up. As invincible as she was, she was bound to reach her breaking point.

"She'll be fine." Crowley said as she began to go limp in his arms. He picked her up and held her in his arms again. "This is twice now in such a small window of time." he added and Nikolai looked over at the Winchesters, doubting they were thankful for the sacrifices his Queen has done for them. She didn't have to help Adam, especially after holding Lucifer's cage together while Gabriel fix the fucking thing.

After a few minutes, Viviane reluctantly came to check up on Clara, but Crowley allowed her. Viviane stroke her cheek like Clara was her own daughter, and then she gave Crowley a sad smile.

"How's the little one?" she asked and Crowley was obviously going to answer in a vague manner.

"She's fine." He replied and Viviane returned her attention to Clara.

"I'm sure they won't say it, but I know they appreciate this." She said and Crowley grunted. She looked up with a half grin and then back at Clara.

"They better." He said and watched as Viviane returned to check on the Winchesters.


	84. Please Don't Say You Love Me

The song here is "Please Don't Say You Love Me" by Gabrielle Aplin

 **Please Don't Say You Love Me**

When Keara woke up, she was confused, especially since she was on her parents' bed. She slid off the bed and sensed someone on the other side of the door. She opened the door with a smile and when Gabriel looked down at her, she let out a tired laugh just as she was yawning.

"What are you doing awake?" he asked as he picked her up in his arms, walking towards her bedroom.

"I just woke up." She said and yawned again. "Where's Mommy and Daddy?" she asked as she rubbed her eyes with her little hands.

"They're helping that soul from Lucifer's cage." He said and when he opened her bedroom door, her eyes were already starting to close. As he walked through and pulled back the blankets to tuck her in, she forced her eyes open and asked him a surprising question.

"Was Lucifer always that sad?" she asked and as Gabriel tucked her into bed, he wondered if her seeing Lucifer had been a good idea, no offense to Nikolai.

"After the fall, I think he was sad, yes." He replied as he brought the blankets up to her. She yawned and met his eyes, fighting sleep again.

"He's hurting." She said and Gabriel nodded his head. "I wonder if he's lonely." She added and he nodded again, but with a sad grin.

"I wouldn't doubt it." he said and flicked his fingers, making her big plush pony float over to him. He took it in his hands and gave it to her. She didn't usually slept with a stuffed animal, but she took it and cuddled it. "Lucifer is complicated and it's probably best to leave him alone." He added and that seemed to sadden her. "But maybe you'll understand when you're a little older. For now, stay cute and sleep." He said with a smile and she smiled in return as she was slipping back into sleep.

He watched over her for a few seconds, and then left her room. He walked down the corridor just as Ginger was heading to Keara's room. He glanced over and watched as the Hellhound pushed the door open and went in to stand guard.

He walked out into the living area and smiled as Nerilla and Kelley were looking better. He sat on the love seat next to Nerilla with his charming smile. She glanced at him and looked so unimpressed.

"Hi, beautiful." He said and she grunted.

"I look like bees stung my face." She said and reapplied the ice to her face.

"I could fix that for you." He said and she laughed. Kelley lifted up her face as if she would take that offer, but then she didn't want to make Nerilla angry, so she looked away.

"All I need is that sigil that repairs my vessel." Nerilla said, but Gabriel touched her temple softly. She pulled the ice away and glanced at him. He smiled and she grinned at him. "You're stubborn." She said and his smile turned into his mischievous grin.

"So are you." He said and then Kelley was heard trying to speak. She looked like a puppy begging to be taken to a new home.

"Oh, heal her before I kill her." Nerilla said and Kelley lit up, but then flinched when the wounds stung.

Gabriel walked over, tapped her head and the wounds were gone. She touched her face and then smiled up at him.

"Oh, I'll leave you two alone." She said and quickly got out of the room and then the mansion.

Gabriel sat back down with Nerilla and she let out a soft chuckle.

"Gotta love how she fucks off so fast." She said and Gabriel smiled at her. As he stared at her in silence, she began to frown at him. "What?" she asked him and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Just thinking." He replied and she let out a laugh.

"That's dangerous." She said and he shot her a playful glare as she smiled innocently. "What are you thinking about?" she asked and he grinned at her. She titled her head and batted her eye lashes at him.

"Keara was taking about how lonely Lucifer must be." He said and Nerilla, seriously, gave a chuckle.

"Too bad." She said and then looked as if none of that seemed odd to her.

"She has seen something in him and she sympathizes with the poor old boy." Gabriel said and Nerilla looked at him, realizing that this bothered him. He remained silent afterward, which was unlike him.

"What else are you thinking about?" she asked him and he remained serious, which was beginning to worry her.

"The angels don't know what happened to Micah and they'll be searching for answers and I'm in love with a demon." he said and she looked at him, replaying his words in her head. Then she frowned and smacked his arm, which got him to smile.

"You know how I am with love; it gets ugly and it ends badly." She said, then she was about to leave the love seat, but he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her down to sit on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled at her scowl.

"But I also know you love me too." He said and grinned at her until she could no longer maintain her scowl. She grunted and looked away, as if contemplating whether to admit it or deny it. "Because I know you go nuts when I…" he said and began to kiss her neck. She sighed, but then pulled away.

"Oh, don't start that up." She said, but couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, fine. I fucking love you too." She said and then glanced at him, meeting his mischievous eyes. "I fucking love you." She said in a serious tone and wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him.

She hadn't had alone time with him for what seemed like eternity and she was eager to catch up. Obviously, having sex in the mansion would be a huge disrespect, but having a kissing session was totally okay, as best as Nerilla figured.


	85. Swimming Home

The song here is "Swimming Home" by Evanescence

 **Swimming Home**

It had been about an hour before Anne came back out with something that could work. She had a meditation spell that focused on pulling energies from the Earth to heal wounds. Most of those on the internet that used it have said they felt more "pieced together" after dramatic events that left them feeling torn apart.

Anne was willing to give it a shot and asked Gadreel to fetch her nine large white candles and place them in a circle. Once that was done she got Sam and Dean to gently escort Adam to the circle and softly let him down to sit in front of her. Gadreel had to help Anne to sit on the floor, then he and Viviane lit all the candles.

"Why nine?" Sam asked her and she closed her eyes, ready to start.

"We mostly end our spells by saying 'By the powers of three times three; as I will it so mote it be.'" She spoke softly, as if entering a trance. "Nine is three times three; it adds more power." she added as if she was in a rush and they were interrupting her.

Crowley and Nikolai sat at the far table, watching them as Clara lay on the table asleep. After a while, she got to be heavy and it was clear they weren't going anywhere just yet. If Clara woke up in Hell and didn't know how things went after she blacked out, she'd be pissed.

"I'm so bored." Nikolai whispered and Crowley gave a low grunt.

"No one asked that you stay." He said and Nikolai sighed.

"I'm waiting to kill your mother." He said and Crowley grunted again.

"You and me both." He replied and they watched Anne in silence again, looking as bored as they felt.

Anne sat in the circle with Adam; everything was silent and still as if nothing was happening. It had been that way for nearly five minutes, until the flames on the candles flickered and then burned brightly without moving. They stayed up straight and still, which was highly unusual. They all glanced at Anne and her facial expression remained calm, but when she began to give off a faint glow moments later, they knew the spell was working.

Her faint glow seemed to reflect on Adam, until five minutes later, he seemed to have a glow of his own. Everyone watched attentively, having never seen something like this. Even Nikolai and Crowley seemed intrigued by it. Then, the glow emanating from Anne grew brighter and it was shortly the same with Adam.

Castiel silently approached and watched with his head titled. This was a mixture of a Wiccan spell and the healing angelic powers that were strangely powerful. Jane hadn't been that powerful and it made Castiel question what he knew about hybrids. Perhaps the only time more information would be gathered is when there are more of them, which might not occur beyond Keara and this baby yet to be born.

However, Adam was receiving the care he needed; the care Castiel couldn't provide. Just when he was needed, he proved to be useless… again. Was there anything he could do right?

The spell continued for ten more minutes and when the glow began to fade from Anne and then from Adam, the flames of the candles then flickered and began to move naturally. Anne and Adam opened their eyes simultaneously and stared at each other with warm smiles slowly spreading on their faces.

"Adam?" Sam asked. His youngest brother slowly glanced over at him and his smile grew as he stood up.

"Hey Sam." He said and left the circle, hugging him as if there was nothing that bothered him. Sam held his little brother tightly for a moment longer and then released him so Dean could give him a brief hug.

Gadreel helped Anne stand up and walk out of the circle to sit in a chair. She seemed relaxed and happy.

"Thanks, honey." She said and watched as he cautiously lifted up the candles and blew them out to then place them on the table next to her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her and she smiled up at him.

"Fine." She said as her mother sat next to her, holding her hand. "It was amazing." She said and as amazing as the experience had been, she didn't release any details. Gadreel gathered it was because she wanted to process it first, but then he noticed a hint of worry slowly cross over her face.

"Anne?" he asked and then she looked up at him, the worry seeping in.

"Gadreel, I think the baby is coming." She said and Viviane gave a light chuckle.

"Anne, dear, your water didn't break, so you're fine." She said and at that moment, Anne felt uneasy and looked down just in time to see her water breaking, dripping on the floor.

"You were saying?" she asked so calmly. Gadreel's eyes widened and he quickly set into motion, helping Anne up on her feet and escorting her to their room where they had everything prepared. Viviane followed them and the brothers did as well, but remained in the corridor in case Gadreel needed their help.

Nikolai and Crowley remained at the far table, still as bored as ever, except they weren't completely alone; Castiel stood there looking around hopelessly. It was quite a pathetic sight.

"Well, this would be a good moment for Clara to wake up." Nikolai said and Crowley grunted as he glanced over at his Knight.

"Dare to wake her?" he asked and Nikolai shook his head.

"No way." He replied and they returned to sitting quietly in boredom, once in a while glancing at Clara.

At that moment, Castiel vanished without saying a word. The demons couldn't have been bothered to care and stared at Clara as she slept.

"That hole needs to be fixed when we get back." Nikolai said and Crowley nodded in agreement. Clara had tossed Nikolai against the wall with such force that he went right through it. She knew he was fighting Rowena's spell and she didn't want to kill such a valuable friend. She would have tossed him through several walls before killing him.

"And the office needs to be cleaned." Crowley added. The destruction of Rowena's spell left the office in such a mess, it would take weeks to organize all the contracts and documents. They both agreed, but glanced at each other as if thinking the same thing.

"I nominate Nerilla and Kelley." He added and Crowley nodded his head, remembering how they were complaining of work.

"Sounds good." Crowley said as he stroked Clara's cheek. "Then they can go on a small vacation." He added and Nikolai grunted.

"Crowley, we all need vacations." He said as he arched an eyebrow at the King of Hell. They had been through so much and some time away from Hell would be much deserved. As he looked at Crowley, Nikolai could see that he was considering it.

"I think Clara might like to go to Paris again." he said as he glanced down at her. "Perhaps a family vacation." He added with a slight smile. "Do you think Keara would like to go to DisneyWorld?" he asked and Nikolai stared at Crowley in surprise.

"She's a little girl. I'm guessing Hell yeah." Nikolai said, but then had a small hint of disappointment in his eyes. "But she'll be mad to find out that I never told her about Disney's 'Frozen'." He added and Crowley glanced at him with a slight grin.

"You cannot put off the inevitable." Crowley replied, his grin growing as he imagined his daughter singing the 'Frozen' soundtrack, causing Nikolai to go mad. It would be a wonderful family vacation.


	86. Which Witch

The song here is "Which Witch" by Florence + the Machine (I love Florence + the Machine, by the way… SO MUCH! I'm like obsessed!)

 **Which Witch**

Rowena had painted her sigils and was well protected, but the Hellhounds weren't fooled. They knew she was there, even if they couldn't get in. She had hoped that they couldn't smell or sense her, but she was beginning to doubt it; they stalked around the cabin, scratching and growl at every angle… until it all stopped.

It fell eerily silent and she thought that maybe they had gone, but she doubted it once again. They were probably watching the cabin, waiting for her to leave.

She sat down and thought about what she had seen. It was safe to assume that her son was affiliating himself with those Winchester boys; obviously hunters and clearly Men of Letters. Rowena remembered hearing about the Men of Letters, but the memory was vague. She knew they had something to do with the Grand Coven losing strength and numbers. All of that had happened after she was exiled, which is why she doesn't remember much, or care much.

But it was no wonder her son was weak, he ran to these hunters like a go-fetch dog. This wasn't the behavior of a King, especially not from Hell. He stood there and spoke to them like they were his friends. No doubt he had worked with them, probably did them favors too. That was working with the enemy and she failed to see how that served her son any good. And those Men of Letters, those Winchesters, working with a witch and demons? How twisted was that? What did they gain? Weren't they supposed to kill everything that wasn't considered "human"?

And that witch… that Anne… she didn't look like a witch. Probably one of those hippy witches that called themselves Wiccan. There was no magic there, no real magic; it was prayers, dancing naked under the Full Moon and using flower power otherwise known as herbs. They were not real witches; Rowena was a real witch.

She couldn't keep thinking of it because it sickened her. However, her son aggravated her so much that she couldn't just ignore it.

If her son was a pathetic excuse for a King, then these hunters had to go. And then Clara's family! Oh, Fergus allowed her to see her relatives and it was clear they would grant that young witch anything she wanted! How could they rule Hell with iron fists while they lay weakly at the feet of these humans? And they called themselves demons?

How pathetic!

When Rowena was in her quest for power as a witch of the Grand Coven, even when exiled, she never let the fact she had a son stop her. She was the original working mother. But, all jokes aside, family held one back and made them weak. By staying strong, that made her a bad mother? She gave her son everything! She even stayed away to keep him safe! She showed him what it was to be strong and he claimed that to be abuse and neglect? How ungrateful!

But if there was something she could do to make a man, a demon, a King, out of her son, she was trapped in the cabin. The Hellhounds weren't going away, she was sure. She would have to cast a spell to leave without notice, but she wasn't sure what spell could help. Not only that, but she was short of ingredients. The only thing the cabin had were cooking spices, which weren't helpful unless she wanted to make the Hellhounds something to eat, other than herself, and she doubted they'd like Eggs Benedict.

However, she had been in situations like this and always found a way out. There was nothing she couldn't overcome. Contrary to the belief of her son, she was a strong witch; she was crafty, as the modern world would say.

Rowena would think of something and then, watch out; she was going to teach her son what it is to be strong. That's what she tried to do with Lucifer. Did Fergus not see he was an alpha? He had worthy leadership even from within a cage! He was strong and Fergus continued to misunderstand her teachings for assassinations. It's not that she wants to kill him… what is that saying? What doesn't kill you makes you stronger…?

That was what she was trying to do; it wasn't her fault that she son didn't appreciate her efforts.

She began looking around the cabin for what she could use. There were a few bottles of red wine, which was a very good start to her search for ingredients. She poured herself a glass and glanced around. Rowena saw salt which may be useful, but there was also a small rack of herbs; including basil leaves, crushed rosemary and crushed sage. Perfect, if she was a hippy Wiccan.

Rowena took a sip of her wine as she continued to search and think. There were books and a fireplace; she could always use a spell of that nature. She could also do blood magic, which would work nicely.

As she thought of various ideas, she was beginning to see the cabin as a place of possibilities rather than a place of limitations. This was going to work and she was going to walk out without Hellhounds following her.

 **Hey readers, no offense to Wiccans, I would assume a witch like Rowena would believe Wiccans to be the Hippies of Witchcraft; it wasn't a personal opinion, believe me.**


	87. In Your Room

The song here is "In Your Room" by Halestorm

 **In Your Room**

She realized that she hadn't slept much. She could actually go a long way without sleep, but lately, things were very stressful and demanding; she was blacking out because she was pushing herself to her limits. Within their first year together, Crowley had told her that she was limitless; a powerful Cambion that could do anything beyond the wild imagination. However, keeping Lucifer's cage closed and taking Adam's memories of that said fallen angel had taken a lot of Clara's energy and strength.

On the other hand, all she needed was some sleep and she was good to go. And it felt really good.

On top of that, Clara was dreaming, which she hadn't done in a long time. She was in the mansion, playing a game of cat and mouse with Keara. She was chasing her daughter, catching her and giving her kisses. Keara was laughing and her smile was so bright. Crowley entered the room, gave them both a hug and kissed their foreheads, calling them his favorite beauties. It was a beautiful family moment, just the three of them.

Her dream made her happy, but it soon morphed into Adam's memories of Lucifer stalking over him. The memories seemed to continue in her mind like a video stuck on replay. Then, to make matters worse, in her dream, the memories seemed to darken and become more sinister than they were, becoming nightmares. Lucifer was a large monster with horns and a sharp tail, the typical representation of a Christian Devil, jabbing his red-hot pitch fork into Clara. It felt as if she had taken Adam's place. All the details were so vivid and the pain felt so real that Clara screamed out. Most importantly, she screamed out for Crowley and listened to the silence that responded to her call. She felt abandoned.

"I think I'll keep you." Lucifer said to her in a voice that sounded like a deep growl; just hearing that voice made her tremble in fear, but it was the way he stared into her. He was intrigued by her and the way he had stared at her wasn't just a gimmick to unnerve her. As much as he hated demons and humans, he really was intrigued by a Cambion.

It was at that moment where that familiar sensation of being trapped between wake and sleep hit her. A part of her felt like she was waking up while the other felt trapped in a dream becoming so frighteningly real. When someone was calling out to her, it helped her to focus, and then she felt as if she was being summoned out of her dreams. She could sense who it was and she could feel herself going to him. She hadn't been abandoned after all.

When she finally opened her eyes, still struggling against sleep like it was tiny monsters trying to pull her back in, Crowley hovered over her with worry in his eyes. Clara blinked the sleep away to focus on what was going on, and then glanced down to see Crowley's hands gently gripping her arms. As he helped her to sit, she wondered if he had been shaking her in hopes of waking her up. She glanced over at Nikolai and he also seemed concerned. It made her wonder about her nightmare of Adam's memories. Had she really been screaming?

She never had nightmares before, but then she didn't absorb someone's terrible memories of Lucifer before.

"You were having a bad dream." Crowley said as he stroked the hair out of her face. He met her eyes again and she gave a slight nod, knowing she must have looked shaken. "What's wrong, Darling." He said with his raspy voice, but everything was in his gently touch. He pulled her closer to him, holding her against him in the safety of his arms. And when he kissed her forehead, it seemed to chase away Adam's memories to the further depth of her mind.

"I was dreaming of Adam's memories, but they became nightmares; Lucifer was a total monster." She said as she cuddled against him, taking comfort in his embrace.

"He can never hurt you." He said so softly, as he ran his hand over her hair, kissing her forehead once again. It was something really simple, but it was all so calming. Clara knew Crowley would always keep her safe and her nightmare faded away. "Much better?" he asked her and she nodded her head.

"Yeah." She said with a smile slowly forming, which got Nikolai to let out a chuckle of relief.

"Oh yeah, she's fine." He said and when Clara pulled away, she placed her hands on Crowley's cheeks, smiling, and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. Nikolai chuckled again as he watched. "Yeah, Clara's back. Feel free to make out and make it awkward for me." he added and watched as the couple kissed, ignoring him. They had their hands all over each other and at any moment, they could have sex right there on the table.

Nikolai was considering on walking away, when Viviane was coming down the hall towards them. It had been two hours since Anne's water broke and her mother was coming with news.

Clara pulled away from Crowley, staring at him like she wanted to rip his clothes off, but glanced up at Viviane with a kind smile.

"Hey, where's Anne?" she asked and Viviane smiled, wearing different clothes that what she had on earlier.

"Anne just delivered her baby." She said and Clara arched an eyebrow and glanced at Crowley.

"How long was I out?" she asked him and his lips twitched into a grin as he met her eyes.

"Two hours, Love." He replied and she glanced back at Viviane, who was beaming with happiness. She was now a grandmother. Clara could only imagine all that happened while delivering the baby. For two hours, it must have been difficult for Anne.

"Would you like to see Anne and the baby?" she asked and Clara gracefully slid off the table and followed Viviane. For some reason, she was excited to see the little Nephilim and the happy parents.

When Viviane opened the door, Anne was in her bed with a little bundle in her arms. Gadreel sat next to her while the Winchesters were standing at the foot of the bed, looking happy, but awkward. Clara smiled at Anne and when she met her eyes, Anne let out a little giggle.

"Clara, meet Ezekiel, our son." She said and Gadreel smiled at his son with pride in his eyes. Clara walked up and stood next to Gadreel, looking down at Ezekiel. She found their choice of name to be quite lovely; a wonderful tribute to the angel that brought them together.

At that moment, their son began to stir, as if sensing danger, despite his mother being so calm.

"Oh, sorry." Clara said and began stepping back, knowing that Ezekiel could sense a demon nearby.

"It's okay." Anne said as she stroked her son's face. "She's your Aunty Clara." She added and when Clara looked at Anne, she was stunned, but overjoyed. "And maybe one day you can meet your cousin, Keara." She added and Clara wasn't sure if it was just the loving feeling of childbirth or if Anne was serious. She glanced at Gadreel for a clarification, but he gave her the same smile. When she glanced at Viviane, she also had a smile. Clara looked back at Anne and smiled.

"Keara would love that." She replied and felt Crowley stand next to her. She glanced over at him and she could tell by the glimmer in his eyes that he was content to see her happy with the only other family she had.

Everyone watched the happy parents, but Clara thought it was best that Anne got some rest. She turned to Viviane and it seemed they were both thinking the same thing.

"Alright, we'll give Anne some time to rest." She said and Gadreel took their son into his arms while Anne fought against closing her eyes, despite how excited she was.

They all left the room and Viviane closed the door behind her quietly. The Winchesters weren't too happy to still have demons in their home, but they remained silent.

"Ah, Clara." Adam said, making everyone stand still, watching closely. "I wanted to thank you for taking my memories." He said and all eyes were on her. She gave him a sincere smile as she could see the gratitude in his eyes. He didn't say it, but she could see that he was grateful because finally, someone saved him from Lucifer's cage. He was even a little surprised that that person was the Queen of Hell.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him and he gave a half smile as he placed his hands into his jean pockets.

"Couldn't be better." He said and she grinned in response. She looked up at Sam and Dean and there was a hint of darkness in her grin. The brothers weren't glad because they could sense that she was rubbing it in their faces; she saved their brother where they couldn't. Clara would have liked to rub it in a little more, but not in front of Adam. She wasn't that cruel.

"I missed you boys." She said and as their glares remained, she gave them a smile and vanished with Crowley and Nikolai.


	88. A Modern Myth

The song here is "A Modern Myth" by 30 Seconds To Mars

 **A Modern Myth**

Castiel could hear the commotion; Micah was missing and the angels knew Clara had done something, despite her returning Metatron to them, unharmed. The minute they had Metatron back in their possession, he insisted that he was Micah and that they had killed the real Metatron. The angels were certain that, despite he had no physical abuse, Clara must have driven him mad.

They had some angels trying to find Micah, but they had no information. They couldn't sense him or use anything that could locate him. Trying to find Micah was the equivalence of explorers trying to find the lost city of Atlantis.

It was a great risk, but Castiel was back in Heaven, trying to see for himself. He was tired of just standing still while time passes, while things happen and he can't help. He was tired of being useless and pushed aside. He wanted to see if Metatron was telling the truth because it sounded strange; too strange to come from him.

Castiel had passed a few angels in the pristine corridors of Heaven and, if they had recognized him, they said nothing. Every step he took felt like he was sneaking in without anything to hide behind. Basically, he was, but exiled or not, he was an angel and all angels can call Heaven their Home.

The closer he got to the cells, the more he encountered angels and then he was one corridor away. He nearly succeeded, but that would have been too easy. As he approached the cells, they began to recognize him. Some had stepped in his way and two held him back. He didn't resist them, but he searched for someone whom he could talk to.

A middle aged woman stepped up and her eyes were hard and her lips were tight, in a straight thin line. Her whole expression was hard and impersonal, and Castiel knew she wasn't going to be divulging any details.

"Castiel," she said as she stared at him with those hard eyes. "You were exiled. You have either courage or stupidity to return." She added and she glanced at the angels holding him back, as if ready to tell them to dispose of him.

"I wish to see Metatron." he said and she looked back at him, her expression unchanging. "He might know where to find Micah." He added and she stared at him like he was crazy.

"If he had, he would have told us. He wouldn't wait to see the likes of you." She said and then the two angels grabbed his arms, ready to escort him out of Heaven, when behind the solid doors to the cells, a deep roar echoed. Everyone remained still and they heard it again. Metatron was bellowing and then it became clear; he was calling for Castiel.

"Please." Castiel said with softness and patience.

The angels glanced at him, as if contemplating on ignoring Metatron, but they released him and watched him as he hesitantly walked towards the large solid doors. He pushed them opened, ignoring all the angels behind him, watching him, and walked down the dark hall of cells. He could see Metatron's face pressed up against the bars of the furthest cell, but nothing about him seemed like himself as he approached.

"Castiel! Castiel, please listen to me. I'm not Metatron. I'm Micah. The others won't believe me." he said and Castiel could see the mixed emotions in his eyes. He was desperate, scared, confused and panicked. "Clara killed Metatron and Gabriel made me to look like him. Please say you believe me." he said and Castiel approached with an expression of confusion himself.

As crazy as it sounded, Castiel knew he was telling the truth. Metatron would never appear so desperate to convince someone of his lies. He could leave you with doubt and uncertainty, but he would appear like this. The expression in his eyes was haunting, as if he was driven mad, but he wanted someone to believe him. There was fear in his eyes, perhaps fear of what he had seen if it had involved Clara, the Cambion Queen of Hell.

And the fact that he knew about Gabriel… no one but Castiel knew about Gabriel.

As Castiel looked at Metatron, he knew he was telling the truth; he was Micah in disguise, under the guise of Gabriel's twisted trickery.

Now, Castiel had to ask himself why. Why would Gabriel do this along with Clara? Why would he allow Metatron's death and why would he make Micah take his place? There had to be a reason and before Castiel can free Micah, he had to know.

"I believe you, Micah." Castiel said and the angel in the cell was relieved. The worry lines on Metatron's face relaxed and there was a glimmer of relief in his eyes. However, he couldn't free Micah until he spoke with Gabriel. "I'll go get help." He said and then Metatron was worried once more.

"No, don't leave." he said, his hands reaching out of the cell with desperation.

"I won't be long, Micah. I promise, the angels will know the truth and they will help." He replied and walked away, as hard as it was to ignore Micah screaming for him to stay, afraid that he'd be in that cell for all of eternity.

As he walked away, he realized that he most likely delivered an empty promise. He couldn't guarantee that the angels would believe him or help Micah. Most importantly, he couldn't guarantee that Gabriel would undo whatever it was he did. He seemed to have placed his loyalties to Hell, so the chances of him helping Micah were probably non-existent.


	89. Witch

The song here is "Witch" by The Bird and The Bee

 **Witch**

Rowena had drunk half of the bottle of wine and had thought of all the possibilities. She had considered many spells and eliminated those that required ingredients she didn't have, which was nearly all of them. It was a little discouraging, but she still had some spells left, giving her hope.

One of them was shape shifting, but that didn't help with Hellhounds outside of the cabin. They probably wouldn't discriminate her from a fox. Another spell was invisibility, which wasn't as easy as most believe; it takes concentration and lots of special oils that Rowena didn't have and couldn't make. Rowena did have some herbs, but her cloaking spell wasn't strong enough, especially for movement.

The next best thing she had was her blood to render her a walking shadow. Actually, that might be the best. She didn't need any ingredients from the cabin; blood and bones was all the needed.

Rowena rummaged through the kitchen and had taken out a small pot to act like a cauldron and a small knife to act like an athame. She decided blood magic would be strongest and it would work better than everything else. Since it was her own blood, it would "break-proof"; in the sense that only she could undo her own spell.

"I give my blood, erase me from sight. I give my blood, to the power of night." Rowena began as she slit her palm, her blood spilled into the pot, covering small bones of a dead mouse she had found under the bed in the bedroom. It was the best she could do, but it would still work, as the bones represented Death in this spell.

"A soul caught between life and death, unseen with every breath." She added, covering the small bones until they were painted red with her blood. The spell would allow her to travel as a shadow, going unnoticed, but passing the Hellhounds would put it to the test.

"As long as blood flows in my veins, let my shadow Death remain." She said. Once there was enough blood in the pot, covering the bones completely, she had to use the bones as a paintbrush and paint sigils onto her skin, nearly covering every inch of skin.

"I bind my body with this spell, magic that will serve me well." She said, painting the same sigils over and over, repeating the same incantation until she was done. She even redid some sigils.

Once that was done, all Rowena had to do was cast a spell that would amplify the power in her magic. Since she was dealing with Hellhounds, she needed some more coverage.

"By the Dark of the Moon, more power soon. By the void of Night, more power in sight." Rowena said as she completed her spell. Already, she could feel it surge through her body and soon, her body was becoming a shimmering shadow form. As she let out a giggle, her voice seemed disembodied and she knew she was ready to step out.

It was working much better and much faster than she anticipated.

She approached the door and found that she couldn't go through it, which was unfortunate. Then again, she was a shadow, not a ghost. She slowly opened the door just enough that her form could cautiously slip out. There was some movement in the forest around the cabin and she only knew that because some twigs cracked. When surrounded by silence, twigs cracking sound so much louder, echoing through the air, making it sound more like the tick of a bomb about to go off.

Rowena continued forward and didn't see anything. Those Hellhounds were either gone or slowly stalking her. If they made only one snap of a twig, that was probably done on purpose, maybe to test whether what they saw was human or not.

She had to admit, Hellhounds were amazing, but she rather not find out all they're capable of doing.

She was walking away from the cabin, not making any noise and blending in with the darkness. It was pretty good so far and even better when her feet were aching from walking. She was more or less gliding through the forest. All she had to worry about was getting lost and, well, whether the Hellhounds were still on her heels or not.

It was quite an amazing spell. She wasn't cold; she didn't feel a thing, in fact. This was magic, this was power. Her son wasn't going to catch her and he was an idiot if he thought he could. Send out Hellhounds, what a joke; yet again, he can't do his own dirty work. Was there anything he could do on his own? Did he even have any power?

As she walked through the forest, she could hear some distant noises that she was certain meant some traffic on the paved road. As she glided closer, she could even see some headlights. She approached the road, a little faster it seemed, and she got to the edge of the forest. On the other side of the road, the forest continued.

Rowena wouldn't be able to walk on the road, but she could walk on the edge of the forest by the road. The last thing she needed was for some moron to see a mist of shadow and decided to swerve into it. If she couldn't go through a door, she wouldn't be able to go through a car.


	90. Devil In Me

The song here is "Devil In Me" by Gin Wigmore

 **Devil In Me**

They returned to Hell a little more relieved, but Crowley's mother was still around somewhere. However, at the moment, things were peaceful. They headed straight to the mansion, Clara was eager to see Keara. Crowley and Nikolai walked slowly behind her, both disappointed that Rowena still lived, but at least the Hellhounds had her. She disappeared for a moment, but Crowley knew her magic would fade away eventually. He was patient, unlike Nikolai.

When they reached the entrance, Clara stopped and stared at the large Hellhounds. When Crowley and Nikolai caught up, they glanced at her with half grins.

"What happened?" she asked and Crowley approached, she met his eyes, his lips twitched as his eyes glinted darkly.

"Our daughter resurrected dead Hellhounds and gave them an upgrade." He said and Clara glanced at them again.

"Our two year old daughter?" she asked and he nodded his head. "How the Hell did she manage that?" she asked and he shrugged his shoulders.

"She's her mother's daughter." Crowley said and Clara shot him a playful glare.

They walked through and the large Hellhounds opened their eyes and seemed content to see Clara. She rubbed their large noses and they exhaled, blowing her hair back. She smiled and spoke to them, telling them they were beautiful.

The Hellhounds watched as they walked up to the doors and then closed their eyes again.

As soon as they were through the doors, Ginger rushed and jumped up at Clara, then trotted back to Keara's room where Gabriel sat on the floor, eating candy. When Clara entered the corridor, he glanced at her and smiled.

"It's a good thing you don't pay me by the hour." Gabriel said and she grinned at him.

"You don't get paid, period." She said and he smirked.

"Yeah, why is that?" he asked her and she giggled as she stood in front of him.

"You volunteered." She replied and opened the door, walking into Keara's bedroom.

Clara saw her daughter sleeping in her bed. She approached silently and sat on her bed beside her, stroking her soft little cheek. Keara was exhausted after helping to keep Lucifer's cage closed. It wasn't something a two year old should have seen, but she wanted to help her parents, afraid they'd get hurt or worse, killed.

Little Keara stirred slightly as she felt her mother's touch, but she didn't wake up. Clara didn't want to wake her.

Ginger walked up and jumped onto the bed without making so much movement. She curled up and glanced at Keara, then at Clara. She stroked her Hellhound's head and left the two of them to sleep.

She got up to leave the room to see Crowley and Nikolai standing in the doorway, staring at Keara. They left and silently closed the door behind them.

"Where's Nerilla and Kelley?" Clara whispered and Gabriel, who now was standing, smiled.

"Office, cleaning." He said with a candy in his mouth. Clara glanced at Nikolai who, for a reason unknown, was finding that funny.

"Anything on Rowena?" she asked as she glanced at Crowley. His jaw was slightly clenched as he shook his head. Nikolai also had a clenched jaw, looking like he could punch a hole through a wall.

"I can kill her, right?" he asked and Crowley glanced over his shoulder at him and seemed to consider it. "Please?" he asked and Clara narrowed her eyes at him, as if to say that this was a touchy subject and he should know better.

"I'll see how my mood, upon the moment." He replied and Nikolai seemed hopeful. When Crowley met her eyes, she knew he wasn't sure what to do. She understood completely; her mother was alive, then she thought about unleashing a bit of vengeance by bringing her mother's soul to Hell, only to be annoyed after a while and have her soul chased out of Hell by Hellhounds. Killing the mother that never loved you is not easy. You wish for them to die and part of you would love to be the one that delivers it, but then you're not sure.

"Shall we rest a bit?" Clara asked him and he nodded. "Alright, you two go do something constructive." She said and both her and Crowley walked to their master bedroom and quickly closed the door.

Crowley watched as Clara walked over to the bed and collapsed on it, moaning.

"I'm tired." She said and he grinned as he walked over. He sat next to her and rubbed her back. "After you deal with your mother, I'm sleeping for weeks." She added and he let out a dark chuckle.

"I know, Darling. I promise, you can relax with a lovely family vacation." He said and she moaned, as if the idea pleased her. "Anywhere you'd like." He added and she turned over to look up at him.

"That sounds great." She said with a tired smile. "What do you have planned for your mother?" she asked him and his expression became dull.

"Let Nikolai kill her, I suppose." He replied, but she could see he was trying not to struggle with the question. "Rest, Darling." He said, stroking her cheek, and watching fall into sleep.


	91. Field of Innocence

The song here is "Field of Innocence" by Evanescence

 **Field of Innocence**

Castiel left Heaven and stood in a random empty field that stretch out to the horizon in nearly all directions, except for the trees in the North. It was a well isolated place to meet an Archangel that didn't want to be seen.

He had to summon Gabriel and then he stood in place, patiently waiting. While he waited, he thought of Micah and his plans to eliminate hybrids. If he had his sights set on Clara, it was no wonder he went "missing". But why disguise him as Metatron and have him return to the cells in Heaven? He would imagine killing Micah to be more of Clara's style.

However, he wasn't there to get the details of the event; he was here to see if Gabriel could let Micah go. He may have had a horrible idea, but Micah wasn't an angel that deserved to spend eternity in a cell. Why Gabriel helped Clara was beyond him; she didn't need anyone's help. He could have helped Heaven instead. No wonder the angels were angry with him when he left; if they knew of his treachery… Castiel didn't want to think of it. It could start a civil war within Heaven and then Hell could just sit back and watch their adversaries fall to ruins.

"Oh, you again." said that familiar voice. When Castiel turned around, Gabriel had his arms crossed over his chest and he seemed less than pleased. It wasn't really Gabriel, but a projection of himself. Obviously, staying I Hell was more important. "Don't you have something better to do?" he asked and when Castiel approached, his narrowed his eyes. "This better not be about Metatron." he said and Castiel stopped with a slight expression of confusion.

"What have you done to Micah?" he asked and Gabriel now seemed confused.

"What do you mean?" he asked with sincerity, but Castiel knew he was playing stupid. "Didn't you hear? He's missing." He added and Castiel frowned.

"I saw him, Gabriel. You disguised him as Metatron." Castiel said and then Gabriel gave that dark smirk.

"If you knew, then why did you ask?" he said and Castiel approached with irritation in his eyes.

"I am in no mood for your games. Micah is a good angel." he said, but before he could continue, Gabriel raised his hand and his smirk fell away.

"He thought killing hybrids was a good idea. He was especially wrong with Clara." He replied and Castiel was about to say something, but Gabriel cut him off. "Am I the only one that can see she's not the monster they believe her to be? She's part human; she made a choice, but that doesn't mean we can kill her. She made the choice with free will and Dad was all about that. So are you, may I remind you, Mr. Team Free Will." He added and Castiel frowned.

"I am not condoning his actions, but he does not deserve to be in that cell until the end of days." He replied, but Gabriel seemed bored.

"It wasn't the first time he tried to kill her, Castiel." Gabriel said and his missionary friend remained silent. "And he wanted to kill Keara too." He added and Castiel tried to reason, but Gabriel wouldn't let him. "Has Clara killed without purpose?" he asked and Castiel was about to answer, but Gabriel didn't give him the chance. "She kills when someone threatens her family. Did she release Lucifer? No, she contained him." he added and Castiel's face fell, but Gabriel didn't bother explaining.

"Gabriel –" Castiel began, but the Archangel waved him off.

"I'm not helping Micah." Gabriel said and Castiel remained silent. "Thanks for the visit, but if I see you again, it'll be too soon." He added and vanished.

Castiel stood in place, uncertain of what to make of this. Gabriel seemed irritated and he made it clear there would be no mercy for Micah.

Castiel glanced up at the sky, thinking of Micah. He could just turn his back, but that wasn't who he is. Micah may have exiled him, giving him the reason to walk away and do nothing, but that wasn't an excuse to leave him to rot in that cell as Metatron. The crimes that Metatron committed weren't Micah's to pay.

If Gabriel wasn't going to help, than it was left up to Castiel; he'd have to convince the angels that Metatron was Micah and, somehow, he'd have to undo Gabriel's twisted tricks. As Castiel walked out of the field, he realized that the two would be nearly impossible. The angels weren't very good at going beyond the point of "seeing is believing" and he might need Anne to help him free Micah. Gabriel didn't work with magic and if Anne couldn't undo what he did, there was no one else.

Perhaps only Anne's child, but how long would they have to wait until the child is old enough to know how to use its powers?

Castiel shook his head, knowing that that idea wasn't useful. He needed something immediate and he wasn't exactly so sure that he could keep his promise to Micah.

He stopped and stayed in place, glancing up at the sky one more time. He knew he probably couldn't have kept his promise and now, he was right.

"Forgive me Micah, I don't believe I can help after all." He said and guilt began building up within him again. There was nothing he could do right. Why didn't he just surrender his grace and live like a useless human already? He would probably be better at doing that.

He decided to head back to the Men of Letters bunker, still foolishly holding onto some hope that he could help Micah, despite his doubts.


	92. Hardest of Hearts

The song here is "Hardest of Hearts" by Florence + the Machine

 **Hardest of Hearts**

The dark was fading and the orange glow of the morning sun began filling the sky. The night had gone well. Rowena had finally found a town and it had a nice hotel, despite the fact this town was isolated in the bush and there wasn't much civilization.

She wasn't going to break the spell until she was safe in the hotel.

Rowena had a slight difficulty traveling through with the sunlight rising so fast. She was still a dark shadow and trying to find shade so she wasn't so noticeable was a challenge. She had to detour around buildings just to get to the hotel which was on the corner of the main street and some side street. It was surrounded by sunlight.

Finally, the back door had enough shade to cover her and once she was inside, she found herself to be in the kitchen that wasn't very busy. There was only one man and he seemed too dazed to distinguish a moving shadow from a still one.

Rowena slipped past him easily enough and got out to the restaurant that seemed like it was an old saloon that was given a face lift and nicer furnishings. To her left was the stairs and she had no problem gliding up those to the corridor of rooms. There was an elevator, but using it would risk grabbing someone's attention, even if the hotel only had one person as far as she had seen.

She opened the door to the staircase that lead to the second floor and decided to take one of the rooms there. When she was certain she was in the clear, she broke the spell.

"Thy will is done, thy magic won." She said and she began returning to her former glory.

Now that she was safe from Hellhounds, that she was certain were still back at the cabin, she decided to think of a plan. Her son was weak and it didn't take her long to think of that. What did take a while was how she could teach her son to be a better King. She wasn't sure he was capable of learning that, so she had to think of something.

Then her mind went back to when Lucifer was handsomely in his cage, about to break free. Fergus was painting stupid sigils while the Queen was doing all the hard work. She could see how Clara had affections for Fergus, after all, she had a child with him. However, every woman would tire of being held back by a man and would decide to push back and take control. Rowena was hoping that Clara would listen and let herself be convinced that she can rule Hell without the so-called Crowley, King of Hell.

All Rowena had to do was summon Clara and she wasn't exactly sure how to do that. However, she would figure it out. How hard was it to summon someone?

As Rowena searched the hotel room, she was remembering something she had seen to summon a demon. Naturally, most demons have their own sigil, not that she ever looked into it because demons were scum, but there was something easier; a ritual of ingredients a little difficult to find in a hotel and the name of the desired demon.

It took Rowena a couple of hours, but she soon had it all set up; candles, chalk, chicken bones and finally something that doesn't begin with the letter "C", a small sharp knife. Honestly, Rowena was tired of piercing her skin and using her blood. She had her fill, but this would be the last of it.

Before she began, Rowena gave this idea a thought; was she certain she could turn Clara against her son? And if not, would a spell easily do the trick? And if not, was she certifying her own death? Unless… she could hold something over Clara…

Rowena abandoned her spell for a moment and went to the mirror that hung just on the wall over the electronic fireplace. All she needed was a bowl of water and a small hex bag. Luckily, she had one left in her bosom that wouldn't cause much damage on its' own, but it would do nicely here. Rowena filled a bowl of water from her bathroom and set on the mantel of the fireplace, below the mirror.

"Anne, Clara's Wiccan relative, do me a favor…" Rowena said, seeing an image of Anne in bed, relaxing after delivering her son forming in the mirror. "And choke on this." she added, dropping the hex bag into the bowl of water. The image showed Anne suddenly coughing uncontrollably, a man rushing to her side, concerned, yelling for help. Sam and Dean rushed in with another much older woman.

Rowena smiled and walked back to her summoning spell, knowing she now had something over Clara.

"I summon Clara, Cambion Queen of Hell." Rowena said, poking her finger and letting a drop of blood fall onto the ritualistic circle of chalk, candles and bones. Once the blood fell onto it, she waited with bated breath. She was counting on this to work.

"Quite brave." Said a feminine voice that was so sudden, it startled Rowena. When she got off the floor and turned, Clara stood tall with a look of annoyance, despite a dark glimmer of curiosity in her eyes.

"Clara." She said with a smile.

"Rowena." Clara replied, her expression remaining the same. "Gonna skip to the part where you demand something?" she asked and Rowena let out a little laugh.

"Oh, no, deary. I just wanted to speak with you." She said and Clara arched an eyebrow as if she wasn't convinced. "How goes the little one?" she asked and Clara didn't seem thrilled that Keara was mentioned.

"Fine." She replied dryly. "I'd really rather just skip ahead, Rowena." Clara added and the witch looked bored.

"Very well." She replied and gestured at the little table with two chairs. Clara followed her and they sat down across from each other. "I must say that I admire your strength." She said and still, Clara didn't seem thrilled. "You're obviously no fool." Rowena said and Clara arched an eyebrow as if she could agree to that.

"Yes, so stop stalling and get to the point." Clara said and Rowena sat forward with her hands under her chin, flashing a nice smile that still didn't convince Clara.

"I have never met a hybrid before and I was quite impressed with your performance." She said and Clara's expression was difficult to read. Rowena waited for some sort of gratitude, but Clara remained silent, so she continued. "I was quite disappointed that my son couldn't be of more help to you; letting you carry all of the burden." She said and Clara's eyes narrowed.

"So this is your angle; pin me against the demon I love." She said and Rowena's eyes took on a dark glimmer, like she wasn't ashamed of it.

"You can't deny the fact that you are both more feared and loved than my son. You're more powerful and if you ruled Hell, I'm willing to bet you wouldn't have an uprising." Rowena said and Clara sharpening her eyes to the point it was chilling.

"You know nothing of Hell or your son." Clara replied and Rowena didn't seem upset that her plan wasn't working out so well, yet.

"I know my son is not the godly King of Hell he should be." She said and Clara's stare was so hard that Rowena fell into silence, as if unsure of what would happen and too curious to do anything about it.

"You want your son to be more like Lucifer, but you fail to understand that Lucifer was a dictator; even the demons feared him, so much they stayed away from him because he'd kill them. He created them, ruled them, and he hated them." Clara said with such authority in her voice. "Crowley is a CEO." She added and Rowena arched an eyebrow as if she didn't follow.

Clara gave a dark grin and sat comfortably in her seat, tapping her long nails on the table.

"Hell is not a place where sinners go to pay for their crimes and dirty deeds; Hell is a business. We offer deals, contracts, perks and bonus packages." Clara said and Rowena seemed intrigued. "You get what you want, we get what we want." She added and there was a sinister flicker in her eyes, as if she was suddenly hungry for a human soul. It made Rowena a little uncomfortable.

"Fergus, a CEO?" Rowena asked, as if she couldn't see it.

"He has a head for business. I have no knowledge of it; I just sign the lines with the little "x" on the papers. But Crowley, he knows how to run a business and Hell has changed. It's not a pit where even demons want to crawl out; it's home and everyone wants in." she said and Rowena's lips twitched as if she'd like to argue that no one wants to become a demon, but she could see how they can be blinded by greed, offered on a silver platter by black eyed crowd pleasers.

For a brief moment, they stared at each other in silence. It wasn't until Clara's expression became cold and dark that Rowena knew this might explode in her face.

"Why do you want to kill your son so badly?" she asked and Rowena was slightly surprised, to be honest. "You act like you care about him, but then you sharpening your claws to dig them into his back when his guard is down." She added and Rowena gasped.

"I do care about my son." She snapped and she looked offended. "I don't want to kill my son." She added and Clara gave a dark grin.

"Did he not turn out the way you had envisioned?" Clara asked, pushing on, ignoring Rowena's denial.

"Of course he didn't turn out how I had imagined or had hoped. He cowers behind you when he could prove he's an alpha." Rowena replied and Clara's grin remained.

"I'd say he turned out exactly like you wanted." She said and Rowena was stunned.

"I beg your pardon?" she asked, placing her hand on her bosom like she couldn't comprehend this.

"You're the product of your upraising, they say. You weren't there for him and you didn't give him the love he needed. He raised himself. If he disappoints you so much, just because you don't like what you see, then why don't you leave him alone?" she asked and Rowena looked frustrated as she clenched her jaw and narrowed her eyes at Clara.

"You don't know anything about me and my relationship with my son." She snarled and Clara let out a small chuckle.

"I do, more than you know." She said, but Rowena continued.

"I was there for him and I won't give up on him. A mother doesn't give up on her child." She added and Clara stared at her with a dark glimmer in her eyes. "Oh, I see." Rowena said and Clara narrowed her eyes in intrigue. "How was your relationship with your mother?" she asked and Clara smiled darkly.

So Rowena wanted to go there, fine.

"My mother was afraid of me." Clara replied with darkness brewing in her eyes. "She tried to kill me when I was a baby and for all of my life, she hated me. I was a burden to her and I couldn't do anything good; I was as evil as they came." She added and Rowena just listened without judgment in her facial expression. "If my mother had loved me, I would have tried to be human. But she didn't and I believed I wasn't meant to be loved. I just wanted to be loved." She concluded and Rowena had a hint of victory in her eyes, as if she had found something else to use against Clara.

Oh, but Clara wasn't done.

"And to my wonder, your son did just that." She said and that look in Rowena's eyes was extinguished. "Imagine, despite never having been loved in his life, he loves me." Clara added and Rowena didn't seem thrilled. "And I love him, so you're as stupid as everyone else for thinking I would betray him; my lover, the father of my child." She concluded with a dark fire burning in her eyes.

At that moment, Rowena opened her mouth and spoke one syllable, but she wasn't fast enough to beat Clara. All she did was narrow her eyes and Rowena fell silent, voiceless, and flicking her wrists did nothing.

"I can't be that Crowley is a disappointment to you. There's something more. You do want him dead, like he's such a thorn in your side. Stop covering your lies and tell me, what stopped you from loving Crowley?" Clara asked and when she relaxed her gaze, Rowena gasped, as if to test if her voice had been returned to her.

She stared at Clara with loathe, but she relaxed in her seat and met Clara's eyes with defiance. It might be a good moment to have an upper hand in all of this. Rowena flicked her hand towards the mirror and an image formed. When Clara looked at it, she glared as she saw Anne coughing and choking, Gadreel, Viviane and the Winchesters not being able to help her.

"Did it ever occur to you that my own mother never loved me?" Rowena asked, ignoring the fact that Clara was very angry now.

"I'm not buying it, Rowena." Clara said, turning her attention to the witch that was harming her relative. As difficult as it was to not worry over Anne, she raised her hand up to analyze her nails, which were quite long enough to slice through someone's throat with enough speed and force. "I'm not as good at torture as your son, but I have watched. I think I can develop my own style if given the practice." She added and glared at Rowena with hunger in her eyes.

"I never learnt how to love." Rowena said and Clara turned her hand, running her thumb along her nails, slicing her own thumb, drawing her own blood. She placed her thumb to her lips and licked the blood with a dark rage burning in her eyes. "I wasn't sure how to be a mother, especially to a boy." She said, but when Clara placed her hand on the table, digging her nails into the table, making the wood crack like it was fragile ice.

Clara glanced up at locked her gaze on Rowena, her nails now resting on the table as if a reminder of what she could do if Rowena bullshits her way one more time.

"I had wanted a child in my life, but I had never wanted a son." She said and when she glared at Clara, she watched as a dark grin appeared on Clara's lips. "I had wanted a daughter, but then I had been chased all over, for years, and a son was all I could have." She said and Clara narrowed her eyes. "But, perhaps now, I may have a daughter," she said with soft eyes. "In you." She concluded, looking like she wanted to reach her hand across the table to Clara.

Yes, Rowena had told the truth about not wanting a son, but the rest was bullshit. She didn't want another child because the first one was an accident and she didn't want to slow herself down and get captured by hunters, all in hopes of having a daughter. This was a woman that only cared about herself.

"I had a mother. I'm over it." Clara said, thinking of Viviane and Anne, how she would love to have them closer to her, and just wanting to rip Rowena's head clean off. Rowena didn't seem offended, just a little sad, as if Clara didn't realize she was passing a damned good offer.

And then, the light bulb illuminated. Clara had seen passed Rowena's web of lies and found the truth she tried to hide.

"No, I believe we got this wrong." Clara said, giving Rowena a bit of false hope. "You never wanted a child, at all." Clara said and Rowena's face became blank; she didn't say a word and her facial expression didn't betray her. "I bet you even tried to kill your son at one point, just like my mother had tried with me." she added and only then did Rowena give a sad smile.

"So, you are as clever as you are powerful." she said. "I would have liked to have a daughter like you." She added and Clara let out a dark laugh.

"No you wouldn't, because at some point, you would be threatened by me." Clara said and at that moment, she narrowed her eyes and Rowena found that she couldn't move. She couldn't even twitch or move her eyes. Clara looked at the mirror and balled her hand into a fist, the hex bag exploding and releasing Anne of Rowena's horrible magic. She stared at the image that was slowly fading; Anne was able to breath and confirm that she was alright.

Rowena was frozen in place and the door to her hotel room opened slowly, a shadow slowly entering the room. Then, Rowena could have widened her eyes with fear as Crowley and Nikolai walked into the room with darkness brewing in their eyes; the same darkness that was burning in Clara's eyes.

"Hello, mother." Crowley said in his raspy voice, with a hint of hatred.


	93. Nothing to No One

The song here is "Nothing to No One" by Gin Wigmore

 **Nothing to No One**

Despite not being able to move, Rowena's heart was beating hard against her chest as she realized that her son must have been on the other side of that door since Clara was summoned. He must have heard it all and now, she was trapped in Clara's powerful grip.

Crowley approached and glared down at his mother.

"I should have known as much." He said and when he glanced at Clara, she looked up and met his gaze with a dark grin. He reached down and stroked her cheek so softly. Despite his anger, he looked at her with such passion. "Everyone believes my Darling Clara to be more powerful than I." he added and paused for a brief moment. Rowena watched them as they stared into each other, time passing slowly between them; their love obvious to the world. It seemed Clara was unfortunately right; despite Fergus never being loved, he managed to love. "I'd be the first to admit that to be true, but I'm not some cowering wimp." he said and looked at his mother with hard eyes. It was frightening how quickly he could change the emotion in his eyes. "Perhaps I have lost my edge, but when the mood hits me, I'm surprising." He concluded and at that moment, Rowena was free from Clara's power and she wasted no time. She wasn't going to let her son kill her.

She quickly pulled her emergency small hex bag from her bosom and tossed it at Crowley. It was a powerful killing agent and he foolishly grabbed it. He should have known better, but he wasn't as smart as he thought himself to be. He would soon fall over, dwelling in her powerful magic, dying in excruciating never-ending pain.

Rowena stood up from her seat, standing tall with pride, and smiled at her son. She then let out a dark giggle when blood began pouring out of his mouth like a dog foaming at the mouth with rabies. He began coughing and choking; making it such a wonderful sight for her.

Then, his eyes began to glow a blood-red and he slowly stopped coughing. Within a few seconds, it all stopped and he held up the hex bag like it had suddenly become ineffective. He glanced at it and then at her with disdain.

Rowena glanced at Clara, only to see her smiling. She raised her hands up as if to say "don't look at me". She then glanced at Nikolai and he just smiled, but who glanced at Crowley with pride. When Rowena looked back at her son, he casually met her gaze again as he tossed her hex bag aside.

"Powerful magic. Might have worked on any other demon. But me?" he said as he pulled a handkerchief from his suit and wiped away the blood from his mouth. "Please." He added with disgust.

She flicked her hand up, but he flicked his hand faster and sent her flying across the room, landing hard against the wall and landing on the floor with a sickening crack. She remained still for a brief moment, as if stunned. Then, she groaned in pain as she realized she was in pain. When she tried to sit up, she cradled her apparently broken arm, as part of a bone was protruding out of her skin. She trembled and she was still in shock, despite being the big bad Wicked Witch of the West.

"I could kill you." Crowley said as he approached. Rowena slowly glanced up at him, coming out of her shock, hatred brewing in her eyes.

"I loathe you." She mumbled. However, Crowley acted as if he hadn't heard her. "I should have just killed you when I had the chance." She added, trying to get up from the floor, but it just seemed like she was trying to sit comfortably.

Crowley flicked his hand again and her other arm cracked, making her scream out in pain. There was no bone sticking out of her skin, but it was so clear and sharp that Clara couldn't help but wince, even if it was fun to watch. Rowena glanced down and her arm seemed funny, bent out of shape, making her cry as she was sent back into shock.

"Snap my fingers, easiest thing in the world." he continued, unbothered, his fingers about to snap, but he hesitated as he glared down at his mother. The room was silent, except for Rowena's sobs, but it seemed Crowley was waiting for his mother to say something typical. He continued to talk, as if disappointed and bored. "I want you to know that the only reason you're alive is because I allowed it." he said and turned away from his mother, obviously bored.

Now, both of Rowena's arms were useless and without them, her incantations were just words; just prayers like those Hippy Wiccans. However, now that her son had broken her arms, Clara grinned darkly at her and Nikolai rolled up his sleeves to reveal the Mark of Cain, Rowena found that maybe those Wiccans had discovered something that works when one is disabled of magic.

Crowley walked away and Clara got up, following him. They stood next to Nikolai and stared at Rowena with a dark glimmer in their eyes. Rowena was beginning to feel the cold grip of Death, surrounding her like a shroud of thin air, suffocating her, overwhelming her with fear.

Nikolai pulled out the First Blade and several dark howls pierced through the silence. Rowena glanced at the window and realized it was the Hellhounds. Had she ever lost them? She glanced at Nikolai as he slowly approached, running his fingers along the jagged jawbone with a slight smile on his face.

"I've been itching for this." He said and when he met her eyes, they were pure black, but she could see lust for blood despite that void darkness. "Please, let me repay you for that little spell of yours." He said and grinned. She nearly forgot that; the attack dog spell she cast on him to kill her son. If her spells don't work on these three pillars of Hell, she must be the one losing her edge. She couldn't bear to think of it, let alone admit it... all of it.

The Hellhounds howled again, grabbing Rowena's attention as she began to tremble against her will. Those damned creatures weren't helping. She didn't want to be afraid; she had faced horrible odds before and she never quivered. Now, she was on the floor, sobbing over her broken arms, twitching when the Hellhounds howled and trembling as she looked up at the Knight of Hell, clenching the First Blade in his hand and the Mark of Cain burning on his arm.

"Oh, the thing about Hellhounds," he began, tapping the First Blade against his free hand to intimidate her. "If you think you've escaped them, it's exactly what we've ordered them to let you think. Funny, isn't it?" he asked and she met his eyes, shaking even more. "They were watching you so we could check in on you, you know, when we weren't busy. But then you summoned Clara. We just couldn't resist throwing a little party." He concluded and as he towered over her, she tried kicking him away, but he just grinned down at her. That was just a little brush against his ankles, so pathetic that it did nothing to him.

"I will haunt you for this." She said through her teeth as tears streamed down her face, also against her will. She was falling apart and the worse; it was in front of her son. This is how he would remember her and it sickened her. Not only that, she didn't want to die! She was the powerful witch Rowena! She had survived all these years and nothing beat her. She wasn't going to let Fergus to this to her.

Nikolai let out a dark chuckle and the Hellhounds howled again, this time, they seemed eager for something. The sound echoed and seemed to go down to her core, chilling her to the bones. She could feel the cold grip of Death once again, this time like hooks in her skin, pulling her slowly apart.

"That's what the Hellhounds are hoping for." He said.

"I refuse to die." She said through her teeth and Nikolai gave her a mocked saddened grin.

"When dealing with demons Honey, no one has a choice on that matter." He said, made one large stride over to her, leaned over and jabbed the old jawbone through her chest so fast that she didn't have time to comprehend what had happened.

Rowena gasped as her body smacked into the wall like she just got hit by a car. She slowly looked down at the First Blade and before she could looked up at her son, to threaten him with a promise to haunt him, her head fell limp and her arms followed, despite their broken state.

She died against her will and before she could fully understand that the First Blade went through her as well as the wall of her hotel room; making her bleed faster than a stuck pig.

The Hellhounds pierced through the silence of the night and came charging into the hotel like it was a race to the top.

A smoky form began to grow around Rowena's limp body and it seemed she was trying to linger in the world for as long as she could. She wasn't kidding when she said she would haunt them, but neither was Nikolai when he said the Hellhounds were waiting for that to happen.

The Hellhounds torn into the room before her ghost could take form. They rushed past Nikolai and torn into Rowena's body, grabbing pieces of that smoky form and tearing it apart. There was a disembodied groaning and once the Hellhounds torn her ghost to shreds, they seem to consume her; something Hellhounds hadn't been caught doing in the history of Hell.

It took only seconds to Rowena's spirit to be snuffed out like a flame; forever gone.

The Hellhounds casually trotted out of the hotel, howl up at the velvet sky and returned home as silently as they had appeared in the town.

Clara turned to Crowley and could see the relief in his expression. However, having seen his mother again ripped open old wounds. She could understand, as she had the same experience, but she knew he'd soon get past it and focus on his little devious family.

He met her gaze and gave her a half smile.

"How about that family vacation?" he asked her and she smiled as he pulled her closer to him, kissing her with heated passion.

Nikolai glanced at them as he cleaned off the First Blade, glad to see that they won again; nothing was going to defeat them and the world was theirs for the taking.


	94. Supergirl

The song here is "Supergirl" by Suzie McNeil

 **Supergirl**

As soon as Rowena was dead and devoured, Crowley took his family on a vacation, and by family that also included Nikolai, Nerilla, Kelley and Gabriel, for some stupid reason. It seemed Keara wanted everyone together. She wasn't worried about the mansion, especially not since she created large Hellhounds that no demon would be stupid enough to slip pass and trash the mansion.

Not only that, but after the failed rebellion, Metatron's death and Micah's disappearance, as well as Rowena's death, no demon wanted to displease Crowley and Clara. And it also seemed that Hector was reminding all his crossroads demons that they better pull it a certain amount of souls by a decade's end of they'd be devoured by Keara's large Hellhounds.

And it seemed Keara had earned a title amongst the demons. She was Keara, Princess of the Hellhounds. The demons were both impressed and terrified of the large Hellhounds; Keara felt proud of her work. She even began drawing designs of creatures, telling Crowley that she would like to create Hell's own "Dark Unicorn". She was going to call it "The Nightmare".

Now, she was just a little girl having fun on Disney World rides. She wanted to go on every ride and Crowley was sure she would be too exhausted, but that was five days ago. She was also getting him to buy her everything she wanted, which she mostly wanted pins she could exchange with the Disney characters and collect them here and there.

Keara had gone on the Astro Orbiter, the Barnstormer, the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, just to mention a few. She had even gone into the Boneyard, Cinderella's Castle and the Conservation Station. Her most favorite attractions were all the ones about Dinosaurs and the Haunted Mansion. Then, Keara had gone to every attraction with live animals. She even managed to stroke a lion's head and have it purr.

The next day, she had gone on more rides. She enjoyed the Mad Tea Party, the Magic Carpets of Aladdin, the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Marketplace Carousel, Monsters Inc. Laugh floor and O Canada! She had loved those attractions so much that she had done them twice. Then she had gone to the Pirates of the Caribbean, although that she didn't enjoy as much. However, the Prince Charming Regal Carousel cheered her up.

The third day, Keara went to Stitch's Great Escape, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and then off to the Tigers. She spent hours there, shocked that she had missed the tigers on the first day. Keara apologized to them and gave them all hugs. It took Nikolai and Gabriel a lot of effort to make sure she wouldn't get noticed.

Three days in the park and Keara had nearly forgotten everyone along with her. She was having so much fun that her parents were the only ones she seemed to have remembered. She would walk in between them, holding their hands just like those old commercials to invite families to Disney World.

Then, on the fourth day, Keara made it her mission to visit every Disney Princess while taking pictures with them. That's when Nikolai began getting a little nervous about keeping her out of the loop with "Frozen".

Keara began with the Enchanted Forest, seeing Ariel's place under the sea with a very pretty Ariel, Belle's village where Belle told stories while looking pretty, and then the Princess Fairytale Hall where Keara managed to meet both the pretty Cinderella and the pretty Rapunzel. She continued everywhere, to the City Hall in Town Square where she met pretty Aurora, to Adventure land where she met pretty Jasmine. Keara then went off to the Fairytale Garden to meet the awesome Merida, who was her favorite Princess. She was so excited that she spent so much time there, other children began to cry.

Keara went off to the China Pavilion to meet pretty Mulan, then to Discovery Land to meet pretty and cool Pocahontas, who she found to be really awesome. Then, to Town Square to meet pretty Snow White, even if she was Keara's least favorite Princess, but she asked for a photo to complete her collection. She couldn't leave fast enough to see pretty Tiana at the Liberty Square Glade.

Then, Nikolai's hopes were crushed. Keara discovered Anna and Elsa's place and she never wanted to leave. She took a photo with both of them, despite the fact they didn't do that anymore. She spoke with them for minutes on end that other children began crying again. Keara even got them to sing some of the songs off the movie, which made Nikolai want to cry.

When she left, she was mad at Nikolai for not showing her "Frozen"; so mad that she returned to the hotel and watched it on the television, on a loop. She must have watched it ten times, signing the songs as she had learnt them.

The last day, Keara was revisiting all her favorite places. She had so many toys, hats and pins that Nikolai couldn't count them all. It was when Keara snuck off into her bed for a long nap, that she had finally had her fill of Disney World. She was exhausted, but it seemed Gabriel, Nerilla and Kelley were continuing the fun; visiting the water parks and rides like the Haunted Mansion and the Tower of Terror again.

Clara and Crowley were content staying in their hotel room, staying in bed for a day, just enjoying each other's company. Their hotel room was large and spacious. It was like a royal suite and, naturally, Crowley made sure everything was of the best quality for his family. The suite was glistening and had a lovely view of the park.

With Crowley and Clara having some much deserved alone time, that left Nikolai to watch over Keara who slept with a plush Stitch toy and a Princess tiara in her hair. She had so much fun and had accomplished all that she wanted to do that now she slept with a smile on her sweet little face.

She was adorable, but now Nikolai had the songs from "Frozen" stuck in his head. Keara had sung them all and he just knew she would continue to sing them at home. Her favorites were "Love is an Open Door", "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" and, of course, "Let it Go", although Olaf' song made her laugh.

He wondered if Elsa had now become her favorite Princess or was she doing that just to annoy him. Maybe he should have her watch "Brave" again, remind her why Merida is so awesome.

When Gabriel, Nerilla and Kelley returned, they looked just as giddy as kids. Nikolai had to remind them to be quiet as to not disturb the family. Keara could wake up and start singing "Let it Go" at any second and then it would be a toss-up between who would be more grumpy upon being interrupted: Clara or Crowley?

"Well, maybe we could lock ourselves in a room for a day." Gabriel said and Nerilla grinned up at him, sizing him up.

"Can you last that long?" she asked and Nikolai gagged, covering his mouth and looking disgusted.

"I think I just puked in my mouth." He mumbled and turned away as Gabriel and Nerilla rushed off to a room, wasting no time in locking themselves in. That left Nikolai and Kelley and he knew that wouldn't be any more fun.

"Shall we watch TV?" she asked and he couldn't imagine them sitting together on the couch, watching something entertaining to past the time.

"As long as we don't watch 'Frozen'." He replied and she tried not to snicker.

"No, that's your thing with Keara." She said and grabbed the remote, turning on the television. Nikolai glanced at her with a slight frown. Already the others were enjoying his pain.


	95. Heavy in Your Arms

The song here is "Heavy In Your Arms" by Florence + the Machine

 **Heavy In Your Arms**

Castiel had appeared in the Men of Letters bunker, his head hung low with disappointment and guilt. The sinking realization that he just delivered an empty promise to Micah had crushed him. What burdened him the most was the fact that he had anticipated it.

He had glanced around the old place, only to have seen nearly no activity. The table was full of things, but there was no one around. Later he learnt that Anne had given birth and it was a boy they named Ezekiel. The Winchesters had filled him in, saying very little about Crowley and Clara.

Castiel had found it to be a touching tribute that Anne had named her child after the wonderful angel that sacrificed much, but it had only reminded him of Micah. Had he succeeded, little Ezekiel wouldn't have been born. He then could have understood Gabriel's point of view, but he still clung to the idea that Micah should be released, as he was paying for crimes which were not his. Why could he not simply be punished for his own crimes?

After a few undisturbed hours, Anne had awaken and Gadreel had invited him to meet little Ezekiel. Anne was still in bed, looking rested, holding their son as Gadreel sat next to her with pride glomming in his eyes. It surprised Castiel just how well Gadreel was living a human life, now living as a father. That must be such an amazing feeling.

The child was beautiful, truly a gift of innocence and quite an angelic presence, but Castiel only had Micah on his mind. As he looked down at this peaceful little face, he wondered if Micah was really so different from Metatron. Maybe he should pay for Metatron's crimes as they were not all that dissimilar.

Sadly, Anne and Gadreel had picked up on something bothering him and it hadn't taken them much to get him to talk.

He had told them about his visit to Heaven and what he had discovered: Metatron was really a desperate Micah, wanting someone to believe him. As he had said this, Gadreel's face seemed difficult to read. However, shortly after Anne, he made his thoughts clear. It was quite unexpecting.

"Could you help?" Castiel had asked Anne once he had finished explaining. Before she answered, she glanced down at Ezekiel for a brief moment.

"I can't." she had replied, still looking down at Ezekiel, tenderly stroking his face. "I'm sorry." She added, only then had she looked back up at him. It was then that he had realized that Anne could help Micah, but she didn't want to.

She had refused and Castiel was beginning to feel alright with that. Perhaps what Gabriel had done was for the best. After all, at least he was still alive.

As if she had known his thoughts, Anne justified her answer.

"Castiel," she had said so softly, despite her saddened eyes. "Micah came to kill me and my baby. He was determined to kill all hybrids. And you want me to help him?" she had asked, her eyes hard with a hint of resentment. "If he's in prison, then I won't disagree with whoever put him there." She said as she didn't care if it was Gabriel or not who had made Micah to resemble Metatron. "It's best to leave him where he is." She had concluded, as much as it had disappointed Castiel that she had such resentment, however he couldn't blame her.

It was at that moment Gadreel shared his thoughts, which were similar to Anne's, but the resentment was so much more; like hatred.

"I've done everything for them and they allowed him to prosecute hybrids such as my son. You and Gabriel had to expose the truth about Ezekiel to the angels; use it to protect my son, uncertain if it was a guaranteed thing." He had said and although their son was now safe, the memory and the feeling of worry had still been present. "He endangered Anne, frightened us all, took years off our lives with stress and concern. We had to leave our home and take refuge here, only to have Micah and Metatron infiltrate. If it wasn't for Clara, we would have been completely vulnerable." He had said and there were so many mixed emotions in his eyes.

Little Ezekiel had begun to stir and cry, as if sensing that his parents were upset. Castiel had understood that what Micah had done to them has lead to never forgiving his actions and wanting him to suffer in isolation for eternity.

Castiel had thanked them and left them alone, then realizing that Micah would never be saved. He would sit in his cell, waiting for the only angel to believe him and some day come to realize that that angel had also abandoned him; creating resentment and anger. Castiel had made another enemy.

It wasn't long after that Anne had been attacked by something, a spell no doubt. Everyone was in a panic, not knowing what to do, until it all stopped. Anne was fine, but there was still no explanation to what had happened.

Castiel thought maybe it was an ill-twisted Fate trying to punish her. He immediately felt guilty for thinking such a thing, as Anne was the sweetest person he had ever met.

When a text from Clara arrived, Castiel expected them to all be angry at her. Crowley's mother had cast the spell; in hopes of making Clara surrender to her demands. However, Anne and her family seemed forgiving while the Winchesters remained silent.

Now, it had been a few days without anymore incidents and Castiel watched as the Winchesters were helping the Cromwells to pack up and return home. They helped Gadreel place everything in Anne's car and they spent some time with little Ezekiel before they were to leave.

Gadreel glanced up at Castiel with a saddened expression and then approached him.

"Thank you for what you have done." He said and extended his hand, offering a friendly "no-harm done" handshake. Castiel glanced at his hand and shook it, prepared to leave it all in the past and move on. When he met Gadreel's eyes, he wished to one day do something that would redeem him; to help him not be a screw up.

"I hope to be useful to you one day." He said, wondering if helping little Ezekiel to harness his celestial power would be redeeming enough.

Gadreel gave a half smile as he released Castiel's hand.

"You will." He said reassuringly and turned as Anne and Viviane were giving the three Winchester brothers hugs, as their way of saying good-bye.

"Drop in anytime." Sam said and, although Dean was silent, he gave a small smile in agreement.

"Take care, little guy." Adam said to the baby, and then he smiled up at Anne. "I can't thank you enough for your help." He added and she hugged him one more time, still holding Ezekiel in one arm.

"You got your life back; make the most out of it." she whispered into his ear and he smiled as if he would take that challenge.

The Winchesters and Castiel watched as they got into their car and drove out of the garage, away from the bunker. It had become so silent and somewhat lonely, as if the lack of a baby's presence had left the place feeling so cold and heavy. However, Sam and Dean had their brother back and they now had the time to know him better. As much as it annoyed them to know that they had to be grateful to Clara for freeing Adam, they really were thankful. What Death couldn't do for them, she did and there was no price to pay. She freed Adam out of the human kindness that existed deep within her.

Suddenly, she didn't seem so bad.


	96. Go Your Own Way

The song here is "Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac

 **Go Your Own Way**

It had been nearly a week they had spent at Disney World and they now had their sights set for larger horizons. Crowley and Clara decided to take Keara to Paris, to show her where they had spent some lovely time together.

She was amazed by the beauty of the city, of the Eiffel Tower and the lights. She even took up French easily as she spoke with the locals, taking on quite the accent. Nikolai was surprised how well she could converse with the people, but it was cute to see. She was even given a beret free as if the people were so charmed by her charisma.

Crowley and Clara watched on as proud parents and Nikolai found it to be quite funny. Here, on their family vacation, the King, the Queen and the Princess of Hell, all acting pretty human. Keara was laughing and having fun like any other child would while her parents smiled with pride, holding hands like any other couple. Of course, Nikolai would never mock them, but it revealed how no matter how much of badass demons they were, a bit of humanity lingered in them... maybe a little of humanity lingered in everyone. Maybe that's something no amount of torture can destroy.

Then again, what was funny was the fact that they went to gaze at the art in the Louvre, appreciating man's artistic work. Nikolai couldn't stop snickering and left Gabriel and Nerilla to continue the tour with them.

Kelley had followed him out and they were commenting on the people that were passing the museum, rating them on a scale of one to ten in regards to their good looks. However, according to Kelley, no one was as charming as Gavin, Crowley's son. She was indeed in love with him and it was too late to deny that Nikolai didn't have his heart set on Keara.

Yes, she was still a child, but she took a liking to him, wanting to be with him when she would be older. A part of him actually made the promise he would wait for her. She had charmed people and demons alike, even the big bad Nikolai, Knight of Hell. She was what made his humanity rise to the surface, confirming his theory that demons were still a little bit human.

The next day, they all toured Paris, visiting sites like Notre Dame de Paris and the Arc de Triomphe. When they visited yet another museum, the Musée d'Orsay, only the royal family entered. The rest couldn't tolerate another boring art museum.

They ate some exquisite French delicacies and sat by little restaurants for hours, enjoying the sun and beautiful weather. They were carefree and it felt nice; no threats and no worries. Just an excited little girl jumping on cobble stones as if playing an imaginary hop-scotch game.

Then, Keara dragged them all back to a similar theme park: the sad Paris Disney Land where it was missing a lot of good things. Apparently she was on a Disney binge.

She had to go on more rides and explore places. She had spent a couple of days there, without sleep yet again.

Keara had gone to Alice's Curious Labyrinth, Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains, Crush's Coaster, Discovery Arcade, on the horse-drawn streetcars, Indiana Jones' Temple of Peril and La Galerie de la Belle au Bois Dormant.

They all ate for about an hour, but Keara had her eyes all over the place, eager to continue the fun. She ate so fast that Clara had to nearly inhale her food, being the only other one required to eat.

Keara dragged them off to more rides and explorations. She went to La Tanière du Dragon, Le Carrousel de Lancelot, Le Passage Enchanté d'Aladdin, Le Pays des Contes de Fées, Mad Hatter's Tea Cups and then off to meet Mickey. She had to hug him and take her picture with him.

Sleeping wasn't an option and she spent her nights at the hotel watching Disney movies in French. Once again, "Frozen", but this time she learnt the songs in French; another plot to annoy Nikolai.

As soon as the sun was back up, she was out of the hotel again.

Keara started at the Phantom Manor and moved on, once again, to the Princess Pavilion. She had spent time with Belle and dressed as a Princess herself. They conversed in French and Keara whispered to her that she was much prettier than the Belle in Disney World back in the United States, which made Belle giggle.

Nikolai had to agree with Keara.

She moved onto the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, once again, but found it wasn't as fun as the first time. She quickly rushed out and dragged them all onto something more fun, like the Disneyland Railroad, which wasn't fun at all for everyone other than Keara. Even Crowley seemed bored with all this happy kid stuff, but he faked it well for his daughter.

The last attraction was Pocahontas' Indian Village, where Keara took offense at the word "Indian", but forgot easily enough once she began having fun on the play areas.

Nikolai sat down next to Clara as she folded up a map of Disney Land.

"I bet we bounced around like a pinball." He said and she sighed as if exhausted.

"How the Hell did we manage to do that? Most people go around the park. We went through it several times… in both theme parks." She said and stuffed the map into a bag of goodies Keara asked for; more toys, collectable pins and princess costumes.

At that moment, Clara's cell phone buzzed and she answered it with a smile.

"Hello, Anne. How's Ezekiel?" she asked and let out a soft giggle as Anne told her he was just fine. The rest, Nikolai couldn't hear, but judging from Clara's smile, it was good news. "Oh, she would love that. The Winchesters, not so much." She said and then, she seemed slightly surprised. "Wow, you must have caught them right after they woke up without coffee." She added and then let out another giggle. "We'll be there shortly." She said and hung up, glancing at Nikolai with a smile.

"I can't imagine." He said and she looked out, waving Keara to come back.

"We're all meeting at Anne's book store." She said and Nikolai arched an eyebrow as Keara ran up with a glow on her happy little face.

"Time to go to another ride?" Keara asked and when Clara shook her head, she began to narrow her eyes, trying to guess where they were off to next.

"Would you like to meet Anne and Gadreel?" she asked and Keara shrieked, jumping up and down, giggling.

"I get to meet Anuty Anne and Uncle Gadreel!" she said and then stopped, glancing at her mother. "I mean, yeah that sounds fun." She said and straightened her pink sparkling dress. Clara smiled and pulled her in for a hug, blowing a rosebud onto her cheek, making her daughter laugh and shriek again.

Crowley approached with the others and Clara soon filled them in.

"And the Winchesters agreed, willingly?" he asked them and Clara nodded her head. "Did Anne withhold information?" he asked and Clara grinned as she shook her head.

"I think they're mellowing out." Clara said and Crowley huffed as if he doubted it. He narrowed his eyes as he looked off to the distance, as if thinking why the Winchesters would accept an invitation to see them again.

"Can we go now?" Keara asked and her wish was granted in a flash.


	97. You've Got the Love

The song here is "You've Got the Love" by Florence + the Machine

 **You've Got the Love**

Anne was cradling Ezekiel in her arms as the Impala roared up the street and then came to a stop in front of their book store. The sign on the door read "Closed", but it was unlocked to welcome the Winchester brothers and Castiel.

They stepped into the store, Dean and Castiel looking relatively happy. Viviane hugged them like she had accepted them as her sons; asking them if they've been taking care of themselves and eating properly.

Anne and Gadreel smiled as they watched, but approached and hugged their guests.

"Long time no see." she said to Sam and Dean as they carefully hugged; sure not to hurt baby Ezekiel. They glanced down at her son, smiling as if sincerely happy to see him again.

"Has he been keeping you up at night?" Sam asked and Anne stroked his face.

"No, he's been really good." She said and they glanced up as Gadreel stood next to her.

At that moment, a raspy voice broke through the silence, making Sam and Dean lose their smiles. Everyone turned around to see Crowley and Clara stand on either side of a little girl in a pink dress.

"As Nephilims usually are." Crowley said. Behind him were two female demons and Nikolai, still with the Mark of Cain. However, Sam and Dean stared at the familiar face behind them all.

"Gabriel?" they asked and he stepped out with a grin.

"Who were you expecting? Santa Claus?" he asked and ignored their confused expressions.

All other eyes fell on the little girl that seemed excited, but unsure of all the new faces staring at her. Clara glanced down at her and offered her hand. The little girl took her hand, looking up with a smile.

They approached and Viviane stepped up beside Anne, smiling at the little girl.

"This must be Keara." She said and Clara glanced up with a smile.

"Keara, this is Viviane, Anne's mother." She said and Keara glanced up at them, but then she became much more interested in the baby. Anne knelt down so Keara could see the baby.

"This is Ezekiel." Anne said and Keara went to touch his little hands that were balled into fists, but he began to stir and make noise. Keara immediately backed away and looked up at her mother with worry in her eyes.

"He can sense the demon in us, but he'll be okay." Clara said and Anne smiled at Keara as she rocked Ezekiel in her arms.

"It's okay." She said and Keara came back, but this time Ezekiel didn't seem to mind her.

"He's cute." She said and Anne looked at Keara, letting out a soft giggle.

"So are you." She said and Keara blushed. "I haven't seen you since you were born." She said and Keara's eyes widened with surprise.

"Really?" she asked, but Anne gave her a small sad smile.

"It was a picture." She said, but Keara didn't take any offense. "You've grown up so much." She added and Keara giggled.

"Mommy says I'll keep growing up and then I'll slow down. Just like her." she said and then smiled in a brief silence. "Can I call you Aunty?" Keara asked and it surprised Anne, but it overjoyed her more than anything. She looked up at Clara who sighed with a slight smile.

"She already does." She said and Anne laughed, looking back at Keara with a smile.

"You sure can." Anne said and then Keara looked up at Gadreel. He knelt down to her level and gave her a smile.

"Can I call you Uncle?" she asked him and his smile only grew.

"Of course." He said and, when she threw her arms around his neck, he hugged her and smiled at Clara. All the years he had known her, now he could understand and feel that affection Anne and Viviane had for Clara.

Keara let go of Gadreel and walked over to Viviane, ignoring her Uncle and her Aunty who stood back up and went to stand by her mother.

"Hello, Keara." Viviane said, knelling down and hugging her. She pulled away, but held Keara's face in her hands. "You're as pretty as your mother." She said and Keara giggled as she blushed.

"You're Aunty Anne's mommy?" she asked and Viviane nodded her head. "Ezekiel is your grandson?" she asked and Viviane nodded her head again. "Are you happy being a grandma?" she asked and Viviane let out a soft laugh.

"Yes, I do." she said, stroking Keara's hair out of her face.

"I had grandmas." Keara said and Viviane gave her a sad smile. "Can you be my grandma too?" she asked with big eyes and a smile. Clara approached with a bit of concern in her eyes, Keara's question taking her by surprise.

"Keara." She said, as she was a little lost for words.

"I can't see why not." Viviane said and then glanced up at Clara who seemed a little uncertain. When she stood up, she smiled at Clara and extended her arms. "I'd be happy to call you my daughter." She said and Clara was stunned, but glanced back at Anne who was beaming.

"I'd like to think we're already sisters." She said and Clara smiled, and then when she turned back to Viviane, accepted that hug. Keara looked at Viviane and her mother hugging and, overjoyed to have an extended family, hugged their legs.

Keara quickly pulled away, ignoring how her mother had a tear forming in her eye as she thanked Viviane, and walked up to Adam, fixing her little pink dress.

"Hi." She said and he knelt down with a smile. "How are you?" she asked and he nodded his head.

"Pretty good. You?" he asked and she giggled, throwing her arms around him, enjoying giving hugs.

"Can you be my Uncle too?" she asked and it was at that moment that the room became eerily silent. Sam and Dean looked down at their brother and Crowley's daughter, uncertain they heard correctly. Even Castiel seemed surprised.

"Really?" Adam asked and when Keara pulled back, she nodded her head with a big smile. "If it's okay with you parents." He said and they both looked at Crowley and Clara. Keara's father didn't seem bothered, but her mother seemed a little confused.

"Keara, do you mean to make everyone here your Uncles?" She said and when Keara nodded her head, Clara glanced at Sam and Dean with a slight grin. "The ball is in your court." She said and they just stared at her as if they couldn't decide on an emotion.

Keara stepped up to Sam, Dean and Castiel with a big smile, as if she was a walking advertisement to adopt a niece.

"Please be my Uncles?" she said as she folded her hands together, placing them under her chin with a slight pouty lip, begging them to accept.

Castiel glanced at Gabriel who simply grinned, as if to say "I told you so". When Castiel glanced back down at this little Cambion, searching to make them all one big family, he could no longer argue Gabriel's point of view. Micah was a fool and so were any other angel that thought hybrids were dangerous monsters. What he saw was part human and precious.

"I'd be happy to." He said, receiving shocked glances from Sam and Dean. However, Keara's little hug of gratitude was all that grabbed his attention.

She stepped away, giving him one last smile, and looked up at Sam and Dean with a hint of sadness in her eyes. The two brothers seemed uncomfortable. Fortunately, Keara couldn't see what was going through their minds.

Crowley had done too much to them. He had hurt and killed people they cared about. He was just as bad as any other demon that gave them grief. For years, they fought against demons and they tried to close down Hell. In the back of their minds, that would be a "dream come true". But here was Crowley's daughter asking them to be her Uncles.

They wanted to say no, but how could they at such a determined little girl with a pouty face and a King and Queen of Hell for parents standing behind her?

As if sensing their hesitation and their preference to be left out of this, Keara approached and waved them to come down to her level. They reluctantly knelt down in front of her and she approached a little bit more, dropping her voice to a whisper.

"I know my Daddy isn't perfect. I know you don't get along. I know the world is full of mean things. It's been mean to you both. It'd been mean to Uncle Adam. It's been mean to Uncle Castiel and my friend Gabriel. It's been mean to Grandma Viviane, Aunty Anne, Uncle Gadreel and baby Ezekiel too, I think." She said, trying to think of everyone. "It's even been mean to my friends Nerilla and Kelley, to my special friend Nikolai and even to my Mommy and Daddy. It's even mean to helpless little cats." She said, looking a little sad. "The only thing that makes it better is family." She concluded and looked at them with hopefully eyes. "It's okay if you don't want to be my Uncles. I'll still be good and I'll still think of you as my Uncles." She said, looking down and about to step back, when Sam let a small smile break through.

"You're right." He said and she looked back at him a little surprised. "Family does make it better." He said and she hugged him so fast that it took him by surprise. She lifted her eyes up to Dean as she continued to hug Sam. He finally sighed and looked away. Keara then hugged Dean and he returned it with one arm.

He glanced back at Crowley, his expression blank, revealing nothing; no disgust, no pride. It seemed he accepted anything that pleased his daughter. Dean glanced down at the little girl and knew she was more like her mother; she wouldn't hurt anyone unless it was to protect someone she loved. But Dean could never forget the bullshit Crowley had done.

Happy, Keara released Dean from her hug and walked back to her mother, who smiled. She didn't seem entirely thrilled, but she was proud nonetheless.

Anne had invited everyone out to the shop in the back where she had moved some stuff around to create a dining space large enough for everyone. She left Ezekiel in his father arms and went upstairs to help her mother.

"I'll help." Clara said and followed them upstairs.

"Me too." Keara said and followed, then glanced over her shoulder and gestured for Nikolai to do the same. He smiled and nudged Gabriel.

"If I have to help, so are you." He said and Gabriel grinned.

"Teammates again." he said and received a cold glare from Nikolai.

Sam and Dean still didn't seem at ease with all the demons around, but Anne was confident that everyone could get along. Even Gadreel didn't seem worried.

The shop had about four tables pushed together to make one long dining table, enough room for everyone. Some things were already prepared such as plates, cutlery, buns, butter, cheeses, pickles and olives, as well as various deserts like fudge and cookies. Sam had to make sure Dean didn't snatch a few cookies.

Anne walked in hold a steaming bowl cushioned on a potholder as to not burn her hands. It smelled like stuffing and then the smell of turkey filled the air as Nikolai stepped in after holding the plate of turnkey. Clara walked in after with the potatoes and gravy, gracefully handling both without a potholder as she wasn't being burnt. Little Keara followed holding the bowl of roasted carrots and peas, licking her lips as if tempted to taste a few carrots on her way to the table, but not the peas; never the peas. Viviane and Gabriel followed in with buttery kernel corn and a vegetable pasta salad.

Viviane sat at the end of the table with Anne, a chair with a car-seat for Ezekiel and Gadreel on one side while Clara, Keara and Crowley were on the other. Castiel and the Winchesters sat on the other side of Gadreel. Beside Crowley were Nikolai, Gabriel, Nerilla and Kelley. Although not everyone at the table needed to eat, they didn't want to ruin the beautiful moment that Keara made possible by making everyone part of her family. And they didn't want to insult Clara's relatives after they worked so hard to make the meal.

"Should we say grace?" Viviane asked, glancing at the demons, being considerate, but then Keara raised her hand with a big smile.

"I say them at home all the time." she replied and Viviane smiled at Clara, finding it to be cute but also searching for approval. When Clara smiled, Viviane looked at Keara and nodded.

"Don't use the same one, Honey." Clara whispered to Keara and she nodded. She usually asked God to Bless Hell, but she agreed that this was different and she had to say something better.

Keara was so happy, but calmed herself and settled back into her chair, looking down at her lap.

"I'm grateful for everyone here being part of my big family." She said and then she was back to being excited. "Let's eat!" she said and began reaching for food that was too far for her to touch. She glanced at her mother who had a slight grin on her lips. She began filling Keara's plate and had to clear her throat when her daughter was about to pick the food and eat it.

"Very lovely, Keara." Viviane said and everyone served themselves, seeming to put aside differences and getting along.

It was about an hour later, everyone dispersed and Crowley gravitated to the corner where Anne had replaced her herbs and potions with bottles of alcohol, using it as a bar. He poured himself a glass of whiskey and it wasn't long before Dean joined him, helping himself to a bottle of beer. They sat in silence for a brief moment, taking a mouthful of alcohol.

"Quite the kid you got there." Dean said and Crowley just gave a half grin as he looked at his whiskey. "For the First Daughter of Hell, she sure is innocent." He added and glanced over at Crowley who continued to stare into his whiskey.

"She's part human." He said so casually. "She's a child. But don't underestimate her. She is her mother's daughter." He added and glanced casually at Dean with a glimmer in his eyes.

They were yet again silent for a brief moment, until Dean thought back to that Keara had said that was something curiously interesting.

"She said she had grandmothers." He said and just stared at Crowley who narrowed his eyes, but didn't seem overly annoyed.

"Clara's mother, who had been gone these many years, and, regrettably," he replied, reluctant to give Dean Winchester a personal detail that he could use to belittle him. "My mother." He concluded, taking a sip of whiskey.

"Your mother?" Dean asked, intrigued to know about this. "The witch?" he added, revealing that he had heard a bit about that when Anne had been attacked.

"Yes, the wretched witch that was nothing but poison in my life." He replied and sipped his whiskey again. Dean just watched on in silence, but Crowley knew he would say something. He never knew when to keep his mouth shut.

"She's dead?" he asked and Crowley met his gaze with an expression that was difficult to read.

"Finally." He replied and looked at his glass of whiskey. "She never wanted a child, yet she kept me; treated me horribly. Once tried to trade me for three pigs." He added and Dean raised an eyebrow, but remained silent for a brief moment.

"If she's dead, why is mommy dearest still tying you into knots?" he asked and Crowley was silent for a few seconds, then met Dean's gaze.

"Because," he began, but paused. "We're family. Blood." He added, knowing that although he was never a good mother, she had brought him into the world.

Dean just looked at him, replaying those words in his mind. He glanced at his beer, thinking of something that meant a lot to him. It seemed he had to share its wisdom with Crowley. Who would have thought?

"It seemed your kid knows more about family than you do." Dean replied and when Crowley narrowed his eyes at him, he continued. "That's not the same thing. A wise man once told me, 'Family don't end in blood', but it doesn't start there either." He said and Crowley looked back at his whiskey, as if that gave him more comfort. "Family cares about you, not what you can do for them. Family's there through the good, bad… all of it. They got your back… even when it hurts. That's family." He said and he was silent for a moment, thinking of how Keara understood that without any difficulty. "Does that sound like your mother?" he asked and Crowley sipped his whiskey.

He was silent for a moment, but the corner of his lips twitched in a half grin.

"It's Clara." He said and Dean nodded.

"There you go." Dean replied and took a sip of his beer. Crowley never had a good stable family in his life and found that in Clara. Yet, when his mother surfaced, it's like he needed a reminder of what he had with Clara. No doubt Keara was a reminder, but hearing Bobby's words seemed to help. Imagine that, playing Dr. Phil with the King of Hell. A lot of strange things all in one night…

"Yes, Keara does have a much better understanding. Perhaps because she has what I didn't." he replied and Dean nodded. Keara had parents that loved her, friends that would protect her and now, people connected to her parents that she felt were family. People like the Winchesters. What a funny thought, but Keara had created peace between them all by gathering them as her family. "And now you're part of it." he added and glanced at Dean with a devious grin. Dean tried not to glare, but turned away and took a quick sip of his beer, eager to use it against Crowley.

"Also means you can't kill me." he replied and Crowley's grin remained.

"Only if you disappoint my Little Girl." Crowley said and swallowed the rest of his whiskey.

Who would have thought he'd have a decent conversation with a Winchester and now inflict a little pain?

 **Got to say, I really love Rowena's truth just before Lucifer interrupted. I sort of thought it was a married man, but while writing my story, I hadn't thought of it. It was pretty good.**


	98. Dust in the Wind

The song here is "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas

 **Dust in the Wind**

They all returned home, all eager to relax and spend some quality time together. Nerilla and Kelley returned to the office to do some much needed work. Nikolai and Gabriel were happy to check out the demons, see how things were doing during the family vacation. Already, Hector had a report on Crowley's desk detailing that the crossroad demons have remained loyal and were bringing in more than enough contracts to replace the slaughtered traitorous demons.

As soon as they entered the cavern, the large Hellhounds lifted their heads and let out excited growls as Keara skipped towards them.

"Hello, Fluffy." She said to one as she pet its nose. She moved onto the next, giving it a light scratch to its cheek. "And Sparkles, and Rainbow." She added, looking at the one beside them. She skipped over to more of them, giving them random names, apparently. "Panda, Ozzy, Scarlet and Lizzie, after Lizzie Borden of course." She added, petting them all. "So glad to see you today." She concluded, giving them a little curtsy.

Crowley and Clara walked up to the mansion, admiring the large Hellhounds. It still surprised them that their two year old daughter created these after resurrecting dead Hellhounds and that they were very loyal to her.

Keara skipped over to her parents and held their hands as the doors opened by themselves, inviting them in. It seemed the mansion sensed just how much they had wanted to return home and relax.

They walked in and the doors closed behind them, shutting out all of Hell to give them tranquility. Then, little scratches were heard as Ginger trotted towards them. Clara and Keara scratched her head and gave her kisses. Larger trots were heard and Crowley grinned as his large Hellhound Juliet stopped in the entrance.

"Home, sweet home." Crowley said as he turned to the side room, entering the living area. Juliet went over to the door and laid down in front of it, as if to make sure her master and his family wouldn't be disturbed. Keara followed her father, taking his hand with a large smile.

"Are we going to play a game, Daddy?" she asked and he picked her up so they could both sit on the couch together. She relaxed in his arms and smiled as Clara came to sit with them, Ginger curling up on the floor next to them.

"And what game would we play?" he asked her and she glanced at Clara with a little grin.

"No Monopoly. You and your father are too good." She replied and stroked Keara's face as she grinned at Crowley. "How about Clue?" she asked and she watched as Keara and Crowley glanced at each other, contemplating.

"I guess." She said and Crowley grinned. She jumped off the couch and ran to her room to get the game. He glanced at Clara with a dark smile and she pushed herself forward, closer to him.

"Better not cheat." She said and he chuckled darkly.

"Darling, it's not cheating if you use your wits." He replied and she chuckled as she playfully hit him.

"Are you saying that I'm not smart?" she asked him and he picked up her hand, bringing it to his lips. His eyes met hers as he kissed her hand, but he remained silent. "You totally are." She said and ripped her hand away from him.

"You're playing against me, Darling. Of course you'll lose." He replied and she hit him much harder this time. "And of course you're intelligent. You're also beautiful, charming, sexy and delicious." He added as he pulled her closer, kissing her neck.

"Some things never change." She said as she relaxed in his arms.

Then, Keara ran back into the room and Clara pulled away from Crowley, lightly smacking him to stop. She seemed oblivious to her parents as she began setting up the game on the small table in the center of the room. Crowley gave Clara once last kiss to her neck and sat back as if nothing had happened.

When the game was ready, Keara brought the small coffee table closer and sat in between her parents.

"You know, if you need more alone time, just say so." She said as she glanced at her mother, then at her father. She returned her attention to the game while her parents exchanged grins. "I'll start." She added and began to play.

As usual, Crowley would whisper to Keara the best strategies to use when winning a game. She would take his advice and her mother would always lose. She would sigh and then, the more she lost, the more she refused to play. Every time, no matter what game, it would happen and this time was no different.

"The next game, I'm cheating." She mumbled as she turned the television on by narrowing her eyes.

"That's my girl." Crowley said, but she simply grunted in response. She was hoping to teach her daughter morality as the fundamental building blocks of adult self in years to come, and then teach her how to be cunning and devious. And all the while, Crowley was teaching how to think like him, which was anything but morality.

"I love you Mommy." Keara said, cuddling up to her mother. Clara wrapped an arm around her and kissed her head. Maybe her moral lessons weren't wasted time after all.

"I love you too, Sweetie." She replied and they searched Netflix for something interesting to watch. Keara never had to grow up with cable of satellite television where what you got is what you got, unlike Clara who had to watch Church shows on Sunday mornings and crappy programs all day long, every day.

"Oh, Jeff Dunham." Keara said and Clara grinned, clicking the "enter" button. "I like Achmed, the Dead Terrorist." She added, imitating his accent and his evil laughter. "Walter is cranky and Peanut is wacky." She said and giggled. Clara glanced over at Crowley with an arched eyebrow.

"It's better than Sesame Street, Love." He added and she flashed him a grin. "Although he is a grown man playing with dolls." He added and her grin changed into a smile.

Clara wasn't sure just how much of Jeff Dunham's jokes Keara understood, but she seemed to love his shows and the personalities of his dolls. However, despite the fact that she learnt easily from Crowley, she knew Keara would grow up to be a wonderful woman with a good head on her shoulders. She would be compassionate and ruthless with reason. She would be strong and clever; making her to be a good successor to the throne of Hell, if Crowley ever decided to relinquish it.

 **The End**

 **But of course, I usually add bonus chapters. I had a couple of ideas that I couldn't fit, but decided to put them afterwards.**


	99. Dark Horse

The song here is "Dark Horse" by Kidneythieves

 **Dark Horse – Bonus chapter 1**

It was quiet as usual, but it was perfect. For five years, everything was perfect. Those five years had passed and although so much had happened, it seemed to have gone by so quickly. Of course, for Keara, little Princess of Hell, quick was a word she knew too well. She had quickly grown and although she was now seven years old, she resembled more a fourteen year old girl.

She stood in front of her mirror in her pink and white room, twirling in a pink dress her mother got for her. It was cute and perfect for her older body; showing that she was a growing girl, but still Daddy's girl.

She turned to her large rocking unicorn and glanced around at her room. It wasn't a room for a fourteen year old girl, but inside she still felt like a little girl. It was confusing and awkward; she wanted to play like a child, but looking older made it feel weird, especially when she was upstairs. The humans stared at her like there was something wrong with her. Other girls laughed at her and that made her feel worse about aging so fast like only a Cambion could. The only satisfaction was making those girls fall flat on their faces in the mud.

When her mother shared her experiences with her, it helped a little, but it only made her want to become an adult.

The only real comfort was playing with her cousin, Ezekiel. He was now five years old and he was such a kind little boy; he never judged her. If anything, he thought she was the coolest person in the world.

And she was finally going to see him again. Aunty Anne, Uncle Gadreel and Grandma Viviane were going on a hunt and leaving the Winchester Uncles to babysit Ezekiel. They always babysat him when they didn't have a hunt of their own and they were getting accustomed to Keara dropping in and staying with them until Ezekiel got picked up by his parents.

However, this pink dress wasn't well suited. She was getting to the point that dresses were for special occasions, not play dates with her little cousin. She pulled out some jeans ripped at the knees and a cool black AC/DC T-shirt, finished off with a pair of sneakers.

Keara nodded and was about to leave her room, but found someone leaning in her doorway with his arms crossed over his chest, a charming grin on his face.

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked him and he walked into the room, placing his hands into his pockets.

"Just got here." Nikolai said and smiled at her.

"I'm sure you did." She said with a smirk and turned away, gathering a few things into a small black leather backpack for her sleep over at the Men of Letters' bunker. "I'm going to the sleepover with Ezekiel. Mom and Dad already know and I'll be leaving soon." She said and when Nikolai remained silent, she glanced over her shoulder at him. "No complaining?" she asked him and he grunted in response.

"You never listen anyway." He said and she smiled, returning to her backpack, filling it with girl essentials and clothes. "You spend a lot of time there." He added and she laughed.

"Jealous?" she asked him.

"I'm just surprised that the Winchesters haven't blocked out their place with sigils or traps." He said and she turned to face him with an arched eyebrow and a hand on her hip. "Just saying." He added and she turned her back to him again. "Well, at least I know you'll miss me." he concluded and she laughed again.

"Dream on." She said and he waited for the perfect timing. When she left like this, she always brought her diary with her. He always knew she liked him; the small plastic ring stuck on his finger was a constant reminder of her crush for him and her plans for marriage in the far future. However, as she was growing up quickly, she acted more like a little sister around him. She seemed distant and Clara assured him it was just a phase; Keara was confused, being a little girl in a teenager's body. Crowley wasn't much help, he was just glad that his daughter had moved on from boys.

One normal day in Hell, Nikolai couldn't take much more of it and decided to break the ultimate girl rule: never read one's diary. He never wanted to, but he had to know what was going on with her. Once he began reading, he couldn't stop. It had been nearly four months and he was still reading her diary.

However, she was smart. She knew he had been reading her diary because she started writing weird things just to get under his skin. One week, she had a crush on his old pal Gabriel the Archangel, the next she had a crush on Hector the Crossroad Supervisor. After that, she began writing how she didn't like herself, didn't feel special. He showered her with gifts and affection to show her how much she was precious to him and then, he finally figured it out.

She had known all along and then she began hiding her diary. But, the worse of all was that Keara told her mother! Clara was not thrilled and lectured him for two hours on how delicate was the privacy of a growing girl.

He stopped searching for Keara's diary, until she began spending more time with the Winchesters. Although her little project of making everyone part of her family worked five years ago, she seemed to fit the criteria of a girl crushing on an older man. Nikolai began suspecting she had a crush on one of her Winchester Uncles and just had to find her diary.

Once he did, he was relieved to see that it was just her way to drive him crazy, again.

Keara was still loading her backpack with girl stuff, talking about how self-centered Nikolai could be and he realized that it was a great time to turn the tables.

"Yeah, but you like it." he said and she laughed harder. "What was it you said?" he asked and she tensed, not knowing where he was going with this. Nikolai held up his hand, opening a small diary with a unicorn on the cover, a rainbow background making it shiny under the light. He went to the latest entry, reciting her words to her. "The big tough old stud is out of his mind with worry that I don't like him anymore. He's so jealous that it's almost titillating if I wasn't still seven years old." He said and she spun on her heels, glaring at him.

"Nikolai!" she snapped. "How did you find my diary?" she asked him, balling her hands into fists. "Bastard, give it back." she said, but he ignored her and continued reading.

"He's so handsome and charming; I'd kill any demon that stood between us." He recited and Keara lunched at him, trying to grab her diary out of her hands, but he stretched it out of her reach, still reciting her words out to her. "All these years, he acted like my crush for him was such a pain in his ass, but he enjoyed the attention. I know he's waiting until I get older because he hasn't been with anyone since before my birth." he said and, since he wasn't playing fair, neither would she.

Keara narrowed her eyes and had him double over as if someone punched him into the stomach. She ripped her diary out of his hands and stuffed it into the backpack.

"That was dirty." He said, standing up and straightening his shirt. She glanced over her shoulder at him and glared.

"Mom told you not to read my diary." She said and it was clear she was angry with him.

"But it's so entertaining." He said and she remained silent. "Oh c'mon, give me a break; I never know what's going on in your head." he added and she slowly turned to face him with an expression like her mother.

"I'm a girl: you're never supposed to know what goes on in my head." she snapped and returned to her backpack, finally closing it.

"It was a lot easier when you were two; you'd just blurt out your thoughts." He said and she grunted in response. "But it's nice to see you still like me." he concluded and she grunted.

"Whatever." She murmured and quickly turned, walking past him so coldly.

"Hey, where's my hug?" he asked her and she kept walking without glancing over her shoulder.

"Hug yourself." She said, leaving him standing in her room.

When Keara walked to the front door, her parents were waiting for her. She couldn't help but smile and forget the grief Nikolai had just given her. Clara opened her arms and hugged her daughter, kissing her head.

"Call us every night." She said and Keara laughed.

"Mom, I'm only going for a few days." She said, but it was clear that her mother didn't like having her gone for so long. "We're badass demons. Don't be so worried. I'm a Cambion and I have, like, several huge Hellhounds that come when I whistle 'Twinkle Little Star'." She said and Clara kissed her head again.

"I know." She said and pulled away, looking at Keara with pride in her eyes.

When Keara glanced at her Dad, she gave a half-grin.

"Are you gonna get all cheesy with me too?" she asked and he grinned, pulling her into a hug.

"Always be my little girl." He said and she smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Always." She promised. Keara pulled back from Crowley and walked out of the mansion. The large Hellhounds that never seemed to leave the cavern got up and growled as if they were sad to see her leave.

Keara walked up to them and raised her hands to pet them. They bowed their heads so she could reach and they even whined.

"I'll be back and you know what to do if I need you." She said and the one named Lizzie, after Lizzie Borden, rubbed her nose against Keara, nearly knocking her off her feet. "Oh girl, I'll be okay." She said and she walked out of the cavern with the Hellhounds watching her, whining still.

Once she was out of sight, Keara snapped her fingers and left Hell. She would have done so from inside the mansion, but such a sudden departure would have upset her large Hellhounds and, according to her father, they never stop crying.

Keara appeared in the room at the bottom of the Men of Letters' front door stairs. For three brothers and an angel expecting a little Nephilim to babysit, the place sure seemed empty and quite. Keara placed her backpack on the nearby table and decided to go find her Uncles.

She remembered like it was yesterday, everyone at Aunty Anne's bookstore, all having a family moment and the Winchesters cringing at the thought of being family with her father, Crowley, King of Hell. They eventually caved in to her sad little face and they've been pretty good throughout the years.

The first time she saw the bunker was when Ezekiel was six months old. Grandma Viviane had to stay and show the Winchester brothers and Castiel how to take care of an infant. Aunty Anne had called Keara's mother to let her know and Keara asked if she could stay with Ezekiel. Everyone was alright with the idea, but no one had called Dean.

Keara showed up and her Winchester Uncles were surprised. Uncle Adam seemed happy, but his brothers and Castiel weren't sure. However, no one told her to go back home and after a few times of having to babysit both her and Ezekiel, they stopped being surprised when she'd just pop in.

Keara turned down a corridor and heard some faint noise. She followed it and it was coming from the kitchen. Nothing new there. She walked in and let out a laugh as she saw Uncle Adam making something that looked like a huge sub full of lettuce, tomatoes, ham, cheddar cheese and mayo. As he heard her laugh, he turned and smiled.

"Keara." He said and she rushed over, throwing her arms around him. "Wow, you've grown so much. Literally." He said and when he pulled back, he seemed slightly stunned, but happier than ever. "You're seven now, right?" he asked her and she nodded her head.

"It sucks growing up so fast." She said, but he smiled reassuringly at her.

"You'll miss it once you start to slow down." He said and she grinned, having heard that from her mother.

At that moment, some footsteps echoed and when she turned, Uncle Sam stopped in the doorframe and smiled at her.

"When did you get here?" he asked her and she rushed over, hugging him, still being too short to throw her arms around his neck.

"A few minutes or so." She said and then Uncle Dean stepped in with his usual smile. It wasn't super friendly, but it wasn't cold either. "Hi Dean." she said, coming to know that he preferred to just be called by his name.

"Hey, Kid." He said. "What are you now, like twelve?" he asked and she laughed.

"Seven." She corrected. He nodded and walked in, like her presence wasn't a big deal. She'd like to feel insulted, but she was used to it. It was just how he was, but underneath it all, he was a softy.

"No hug?" she asked and he stopped. She giggled and rushed over to him, hugging him tighter than she had Sam or Adam.

"What's new in Hell?" he asked, feeling uncomfortable. When she let him go, she smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

"Same old, you know? Roasting and toasting." She added and he just nodded his head again.

It was then that there was a knock at the door.

"Ezekiel!" she shrieking and rushed out of the kitchen so fast that she was sure her Winchester Uncles were eating dust. Keara rushed up the stairs and narrowed her eyes, having the door open for Aunty Anne and Uncle Gadreel.

When they saw her on the other side, they didn't find it odd.

"Hey Keara." Aunty Anne said, quickly hugging her with warmth and affection. "How's your parents?" she asked and when Keara pulled back, little Ezekiel ran into her before she could answer.

"Keara!" he shouted. She bent down and gave him a big hug.

"Long time no see, Buddy." She replied. Uncle Gadreel showed up behind Aunty Anne with Grandma Viviane and a couple of overnight bags. "You're getting big!" she said and he pulled away, his blue eyes sparkling.

Ezekiel looked so much like his father, but he was just as warm and affectionate as his mother. He was a wonderful child, so sweet and innocent; a real little angel.

"Not like you. You're big." He said and she grinned at him.

"Sorry Kido, Cambions age faster." She said and roughed up his hair as he laughed.

The Winchesters finally got into the room, glancing up at the door. Anne and Gadreel smiled appreciatively at them.

"Take care." Sam said and they nodded.

"We'll be back in a few days. We'll check in and if we don't…" Anne said, letting her sentence drop. It was clear now that Aunty Anne was worried about hunting with a five year old son. Keara could tell she imagined dying, leaving him behind, not being able to see him grow up. Despite her pretty awesome spells, she worried something could happen, that not even Clara could help them in time.

For some time, she talked about going back to what they were doing: helping hunters at the bookstore and the junkyard, being safe while still contributing to the destruction of monsters. However, some hunts were just too close to home and there weren't any other hunters to help.

"We know." Dean said, but he seemed confident that they'd be okay.

"Thanks for doing this." She said and they smiled at her. Anne and Gadreel turned their attention to their son, hugging him before leaving. Grandma Viviane did the same, but then after hugging Keara as well, gave her a duffel bag that made random noises.

"I packed lots of fun for you two." She said and Keara giggled, glancing at Ezekiel with a grin.

"Thanks." Both her and Ezekiel said simultaneously. They watched as his parents and their grandmother left, then Keara closed the door the same way she opened it. Ezekiel looked up at her with admiration, but then he seemed excited to play with her.

They both walked down the stairs, holding hands, and Keara placed the duffel bag on the table next to her black leather backpack.

"Let's see, what's in here?" she asked, unzipping the duffel back.

"I got my Legos and my cars, and I have coloring books and coloring pencils. Grandma even got us some mini games like if we were to go camping." He said, pulling out stuff and showing her. "Grandma got me a Sesame Street coloring book and she got you a Monster High coloring book." He added in his cute five year old voice and Keara glanced at him, arching an eyebrow.

"What?" she asked him.

"All the favorite characters, like Frankie Stein and Draculaura." He said, looking through the bag, as if trying to find it.

"I don't want to know how you know that." Keara mumbled to herself, but Ezekiel looked at her with a big smile as he laughed.

"Just kidding!" he said, pulling out a book with an awesome design of a blood thirsty monster. "Mommy found this for you; it's a coloring book of monsters." He said and gave it to her. Keara held it in her hands and tried not to shriek.

"A coloring book of classical monsters and murderers such as Dracular, Frankenstein, Jack the Ripper and Lizzie Borden!" she said nearly jumping with joy.

"Mommy knew you'd like it." Ezekiel said and continued showing her everything they had.

"I see you listened to my advice from last time." Keara said and Ezekiel nodded his head with a smile.

"Bring your own toys because our Uncles don't know kids." He said and she smiled, however Dean took offense to that as he watched them converse.

"Hey, we know kids." He said and Keara turned to him with an arched eyebrow and a grin.

"Just that kids need to eat three times a day and a bathroom to empty all that food." She said and Dean gave her that unappreciative look and then pointed a finger at her.

"That's sarcasm." He said and she mocked gasped.

"Good for you!" she said and this time he glared at her. "How perceptive." She added with a dark smile.

"I'm going to fix lunch. Sam, come help." He said and walked out of the room, stalking down the hall like he usually did.

"I'd like some Fettuccini Alfredo." Keara shouted and snickered as she could hear Dean refusing her order. She turned to Ezekiel with a grin. "What would you like?" she asked him and he looked up, deep in thought.

"I'd like a cheeseburger." He replied.

"Ezekiel wants a cheeseburger!" Keara shouted and snickered again. She glanced back at her little cousin and pulled out some chairs. "Shall we play?" she asked and he took out all his Legos. Uncle Adam sat with them, looking at the little Lego cars, people and animals.

"Wow, you're lucky. The Legos I had weren't this cool." He said and watched as they played. Ezekiel even offered him a character to play.

Keara glanced around, knowing something was missing. Uncle Castiel wasn't around and she suspected he wasn't in the bunker. She glanced at Uncle Adam and it seemed he knew what she was thinking.

"Castiel hasn't been around much." He said and Ezekiel looked up with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

Uncle Adam didn't say why, but Keara knew it had to do with the angel Micah that was imprisoned in Heaven, disguised as Metatron. Micah had been waiting all these years and was probably going out of his mind realizing that no one would help him. Not only that, but as much as he loved seeing Ezekiel, it also pained him, like it was a reminder of what it is to be a good angel full of innocence.

They had played and eaten at that table for hours. They both called their parents for a check-in and then they went to watch a bit of television before going to bed. Keara tucked Ezekiel into bed and conjured the book "The Monster at the End of the This Book" with Grover. She didn't like that kid stuff, but she did like this story. Better yet, she enjoyed reading it to someone who loved it.

Once Ezekiel was asleep, she walked over to her side of the room and crawled into bed. Dean silently opened the door to check on them. Keara smiled tiredly at him and waved goodnight.

"If you need someone…" he said, letting his sentence fall. She gave him a tired grin, ready to tell him that she knew to call her parents and her large Hellhounds, but decided to give him a chance to feel adequate.

"You're not far." She said and that seemed to put a small smile on his face. "Night Dean." she said and he closed the door as she settled into her bed. On the night stand next to her bed, she had placed her diary and a pen. She wanted to write all about the fun she had with Ezekiel.

Keara grabbed her diary and when she opened it, something fell out and landed in her lap. It was a small white paper with writing on it. When she picked it up, it was thicker than paper and it read _Your Handsome Devil_. She turned it around and grinned at the new-age Polaroid selfie picture of Nikolai with his dashing smile. She stared at his picture for a while, and then placed it back in her diary as she wrote on the page after her last entry.

As she wrote, she thought about earlier that day, what was going through her mind as she stared at herself in the mirror, back in her room. In the world, she felt judged, she felt like a freak; yeah, she was a strange creature, but the world made her feel like an even bigger freak. It was no wonder her mother locked herself in an apartment until she met the King of Hell. It wasn't until then that she felt accepted.

That's why it was so important to Keara to have everyone as her family, all these misfits that belonged together; all these people that lived in the world, but were forgotten. They were all connected to her parents and she saw fit to unite them together. She didn't know it would have made peace between Heaven, Earth and Hell, as far as it concerned the Winchesters. No one might have accepted each other at first, but now, they were her family; a family that accepts and loves her just the way she is.

And as Keara looked at her little cousin, so tiny sleeping in his bed across from hers, he was now in a pretty big safety net of a family. He had angels, hunters and demons to love him as they loved her.


	100. Little Monster

The song here is "Little Monster" by Royal Blood

 **Little Monster – Bonus chapter 2**

Everything was quiet, but it was always like this in this part. It was dark, cold and eerie; sending a shiver down her spine as she revisited this corridor down to the deepest part of Hell, to the forbidden part of Hell. It was the place that she couldn't forget and the place that continued to haunt her dreams. It was the place that she came face to face with the fallen angel within the cage; the tormented angel that revealed pain in his eyes.

Keara was on her way to see Lucifer like the several other times she had these last few years. The older she got, the more she couldn't understand Lucifer and the more she began dreaming of him.

It had been twenty-eight years after she helped her mother keep Lucifer's cage closed and he still remained a mystery to her. She didn't know why he intrigued her so much, but after her first visit, she hadn't found any answers.

Keara had just turned thirty years old, but her body had slowed down in aging. She now resembled a seventeen year old girl and it was times like this she wished she could still age quickly. It was odd that Cambions and Nephilims were both hybrids, but were so completely different. As she remained young, Ezekiel was a handsome young man. It would seem he was the eldest out of the both of them, but he never treated her like a little cousin. His parents eventually went back to serving hunters with spells and car parts, training their son and putting him through college for a better life. The Winchesters were still hunting, although now they seemed to help the newcomers of the trade. And Castiel, well, he pretty much remained the same, still saddened by the fact he broke his promise to Micah.

Back to Ezekiel, the funny thing was, out of all the hybrids, Keara's mother was the only one that didn't age at all. She stayed forever young and beautiful. Keara was a little envious, wishing to look like a woman and not a teenager. However, no one else seemed to complain, not Lucifer and especially not Nikolai.

She was now old enough to date Nikolai officially, although she had been secretly dating him for the last three years. Her father kept teasing her by saying she had to be fifty years old; the age her mother was when they met, but he allowed her to date at thirty. He probably figured out that she was already dating Nikolai. Funny how he wasn't upset…

When she could official date Nikolai, she helped him to remove that stupid plastic ring that she placed on his hand when she was two years old. It was cute how long he lived with it, but he looked way better without it. After all, she no longer had to put something on him that would tell all other women that he belonged to her; they now knew it.

Now, on her way to see Lucifer, she thought of her previous visits with him. She knew he hated demons and that he wasn't thrilled about humans, but he seemed titillated by Cambions, well the females at least.

That day, Jesse Turner was tossed into the cage with Lucifer and now he was pretty much damaged goods, curled up in a corner of the cage, shaking and murmuring to himself about the tooth fairy. He had aged, but horribly and his face had been punched so much that he didn't seem like anything Keara could recognize. Lucifer said he wasn't vicious like he used to be, but Jesse's wounds were a contradiction of his words.

As Keara got closer, she could hear Lucifer whistle as if he was enjoying his confinement. He knew she was coming to see him, like he figured out the next time she'd visit. She hadn't made a pattern with her visits, but it just went to show how mysterious he was. He knew it and he teased her by not revealing a single thing to her. He wanted her to keep coming back and part of her wanted that too.

Once she walked into the large room, Lucifer stopped whistling and smiled at her. He was leaning against the cage with his hands in his pockets, smiling charmingly at her. There was a time where she wondered if she had a crush on him, but the look in his eyes made a shiver run down her spine. He didn't make her feel the way Nikolai did; she loved being with Nikolai, his touch and his kiss… but Lucifer was just a fascination that made her eventually want to leave. Yes, she kept returning, but with Nikolai, she'd never want to leave him.

It was confusing even when Keara thought she had it all figured out.

"Keara." Lucifer said, his voice so smooth that the way he said her name made her want to go closer. She knew she had to fight it; she couldn't trust him and she would never let him out of his cage. Never.

"Lucifer." She said, casually approaching the cage. He sized her up and his smile became creepy, in the sense that he was thinking dirty thoughts as he looked at her.

"Just as beautiful as your mother." He said and that unnerved her. When she remained silent, he gave her a mocked saddened frown. "Wasn't that flattering?" he asked her and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Not when you have the hots for my mother." She said and he smiled at her with that creepy look in his eyes, like he was mentally undressing her. That was the expression that made her want to go back to Nikolai, to take comfort in his loving embrace.

"Oh, you get an equal amount of my affections." He replied and she arched an eyebrow at him, unconvinced. "So, how's everyone?" he asked and she grinned as he pressed his face against the bars with a friendly smile; he was so quick to change the subject just to fuck with her head, but she wasn't a fool.

"I didn't come here to talk about everyone." She said and he rolled his eyes.

"Typical teenager. No, you're here to talk about you." He replied and she arched her eyebrow again. "So, what's new in the life of a Teenage Drama Queen?" he asked and she gave a mocked glare.

"Yet again trying to get under my skin. Don't you ever get tired of doing that?" she asked him, but he simply grinned at her. "It seems you don't get that nothing you say will make me release you or prove to you that I'm a powerful creature, which would possibly free you." She added and he had an expression that said he was contemplating her statement.

"I'm not saying anything. You're insinuating." He replied and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"You want me to insinuate." She replied and he smiled at her, like this was fun for him.

"Why do you keep coming here?" he asked her and she tilted her head at him, fighting a smirk.

"Don't you know; you're so interesting." She said and he smiled smugly, as if that was nothing new to him.

"I know, but what do you want from me?" he asked and looked at the cage. "You obviously don't want to free me. And I'm sure you have friends to talk to." He said as he smiled back at her. His eyes were dark and it seemed like, despite his questions, he knew exactly why she was visiting him.

"You've always been this way, I get that, but stuck in that cage with me coming here once in a while… you never remove the mask." She said and he stared at her, making it feel like he was staring into her. "I saw something years ago; something in your eyes." she added and his expression didn't change.

"You saw something you wanted to see." he replied and his expression was so difficult to read that she wasn't sure if he was trying to hide something or ticked off that she was trying to dig it up.

"Why do you want to be free?" she asked and he raised an eyebrow.

"Are you kidding me? You spend a lifetime in this cage and tell me you don't want out." he replied and glanced away, as if he couldn't take anymore of this conversation.

"It's not just stepping out and doing whatever you want." She said and when he glanced back at her, she was certain she was pissing him off. However, he'd never do or say something that would guarantee that she never come back. He liked her visits too much.

"And why not? Oh, I get it; you want me to say that I want to have a family reunion, a group hug and forgiveness; a promise that I'd be a good little boy." He replied and grinned at her. Keara retained her expression and it seemed they were having a small stare-off.

"Why not?" she asked and he glanced away, chuckling darkly as if he was getting annoyed.

"There's no God. My family is dead and Gabriel is a little traitorous shit." He replied and Keara suspected that she hit a nerve.

"So there was pain in your eyes all these years." she said and he glanced at her with a grin slowly appearing on his lips.

"You see what you want to see." Lucifer replied with a dark glimmer in his eyes. He was either angry or amused. It was difficult to tell and apparent to see that they were playing a game of wits; who could figure out whom? Keara wasn't sure who was winning. "But I see what you can't hide." He added and then she was certain that Lucifer would always win this game.

"I'm not hiding anything, unlike a certain someone." She said and his lips twitched into a smirk.

"You're an open book. I figured you out in two seconds." He said and she grinned.

"And you're difficult to figure out, which is why no one will ever let you out of the cage." She replied and he smiled at her, leaning up against the cage once more.

"So, if I talk about my feelings, someone like you would let me out of the cage." He said and before she could say a syllable, he stood tall and pointed at her. "But wait, you have no intention of releasing me. I'd be opening up to you just for your own entertainment." He concluded and smiled at her, having figured that out awhile ago and now just playing with her.

"No, not entertainment." Keara said sincerely with a straight face. "To understand." She added and he smiled at her as he pressed his face against the bars.

"And why would you want to do that?" he asked. At that moment, she realized that he couldn't have figured her out that well if he couldn't comprehend why she wanted to better understand him. Either that, or the idea intrigued him so much that he had to hear it from her.

"You're a complex character." She simply said and he stared at her as if her answer wasn't enough information to feed his curiosity.

"So are you. That's a compliment, by the way." He replied and her lips stretched into a small smile. She remained silent and that told him that she had her fill; she was ready to leave. "Don't wait too long before your next visit." He said and she grinned at him.

"Who says there's a next visit?" she asked and his grin made his eyes glimmer.

"You'll be back." he said, certain.

Keara turned and walked away as he began to whistle again, watching her leave. Once he was out of earshot, long gone behind her, she stopped and exhaled. She may have been a step closer to understanding him, but she always left just as unsure as she felt walking in. Maybe she should stay true to her words and not see him again. Then again, there was something that kept bringing her back and she couldn't quite understand what it was. Maybe it was the fact that he spoke to her like he enjoyed seeing her. Maybe it was the fact that he didn't seem as evil as he was made out to be. He always could be portraying himself in that way on purpose, to play into her image of a hurt Lucifer.

As she continued walking, something struck her and it was too late to realize she wasn't alone.

Nikolai walked out of the shadows with an expression that made her breath freeze in her throat. He was angry and disappointed to see her coming out from the forbidden part of Hell where Lucifer dwelled.

"Nikolai." She said softly, but that didn't lighten his mood. "I –" she began, but he raised a hand to stop her.

"I don't care to hear an explanation. There's no explanation that would sit right with me. Visiting Lucifer… what were you thinking? That's a rhetorical question, by the way." He said, crossing his arms over his chest, flexing his muscles and having the Mark of Cain peak through his folded up sleeve. She was never afraid of that mark, but it was looking intimidating at this point.

"Nikolai," she said, but he wouldn't listen just yet.

"Lucifer can't be trusted. He's deceitful. You know that demons are better lie detectors than lie detectors, but no one has ever detected his lies or deciphered his truths. Do you understand?" he asked and she nodded her head, wanting to say that she already knew that.

"Nikolai," she said, but he still wouldn't let her talk.

"He uses others, Keara. He'd kill you in a second flat." He said and he was about to continue, saying something, but Keara had enough of him not letting her say anything.

"I know." She snapped and he just looked at her, unimpressed with what was going on. "I don't trust him." she added and again Nikolai cut her off.

"How many times?" he asked her and she frowned.

"What?" she asked and he met her frown with a glare.

"Don't give me that –" he began, but she growled and crossed her arms over her chest.

"A few times, okay?" she snapped and they remained silent. Keara looked down at the ground and exhaled. "Please don't tell my parents." She said and he grunted.

"I should." He said and she looked up at him with worried eyes. "But I won't." he added and she seemed relieved. "Just promise me you'll never go back down there." He said and she was about to say something, but he raised his eyebrows. "Promise me." he said and she grunted.

"I would if you'd shut up and let me talk." She said and they stared at each other. "I'll never go back there, I promise." She said and only then did he relax that angry look. He approached her and pulled her into his arms.

"I don't want you getting hurt." He said and she grunted as he wrapped his arms around her tightly so she couldn't wiggle.

"I wouldn't." she said, but he seemed to have ignored her reply.

"If anything was to happen to you, nothing would stop the Mark, not even me." he said and she remained silent, knowing that that was everyone's greatest fear that lingered in the back of their minds. "I'd destroy everything and there would be no control. Do you understand?" he asked and she nodded her head.

They remained silent in their embrace. Keara listened to his heart as it was slowing down from its angry beat. It was becoming a calm rhythm and she was confident that they could have a decent conversation without him acting like an older brother. At that moment, she needed him to act more like her boyfriend.

"Why would you go see him?" Nikolai asked. Keara was about to remind him that he just said that he didn't want to know, but she decided not to anger him again.

"I saw pain in his eyes years ago. I guess I want to understand him better." She said and, although he was silent, his heart began beating a little faster as if this irritated him a little.

"If you're looking to pity something, work in an animal shelter." He replied and then kissed her head, rubbing her back tenderly, his heart slowing down again.

"Can we go home now?" she asked and he released her, but slipped his hand into hers.

"You bet. And, just to give up a heads-up, I'm keeping my eye on you." He said and she glanced at him with a glare. He didn't even meet her eyes to know that she wasn't thrilled to be treated like a child. "I'm not a jealous boyfriend; I'm just worried about the influences Lucifer had on you." He added and she glanced away, still not impressed.

"He didn't." she replied coldly, but that wouldn't be enough to convince him. Was there anything she could say that would convince him she was alright?

"Yeah, how many times did you see him again?" he asked and she tried to pull away from him, but his grip on her hand tightened. He pulled her closer to him, quickly releasing her hand so he could wrap his arm around her, holding her tightly against him.

"Not a jealous boyfriend, you said?" she asked and he glanced at her, unimpressed.

They got to the cavern where her large Hellhounds growled in excitement to see her back. Her favorite was Lizzie who, over the years, took on an alpha role in the pack and the other Hellhounds obeyed her. They weren't allowed to approach Keara before Lizzie. It was cute.

Keara walked up to the front doors that opened automatically. She was about to walk in when she realized that Nikolai wasn't following her. She turned and frowned as he just stared at her.

"Aren't you coming in?" she asked him.

"I've got to make my rounds." He said and she arched an eyebrow. "I'll be back later." He said and turned to leave. Her face relaxed and she wondered if he was still pissed at her for visiting Lucifer.

"Hey." She said, making him stop. He turned around and met her saddened gaze. "Don't be too long." She added with a soft tone that let him know she was worried. He gave her a slight smile that made his eyes glisten.

"You can count on me." he said, turning away again, making her feel certain that he wasn't angry with her, maybe disappointed still, but he loved her all the same.

Keara went inside and went straight to her room, knowing that her parents would be in theirs, having some alone time. It made her smile to think of them still acting like newlyweds.

She walked into her room and turned on the light. Her room was no longer white and pink; it matched her parent's room, looking regal and modern. The only childish thing that lingered was her plush pony that Nikolai got for her in New York twenty-eight years ago.

Keara changed into some black pajama pants and a small black T-shirt with red ruby lips across her chest. She crawled into bed, listening to the silence, thinking of when Nikolai would be back. Although they were allowed to date, her father drew the line at sleeping in the same bed, at least for now.

Keara tossed and turned, unable to relax and let her mind go blank. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. Lucifer was so sure she'd go back to him and Nikolai wasn't kidding about her staying away. Out of the two, Nikolai mattered to her more and she knew she had to keep her promise to him or she could be responsible for the fall and destruction of Hell at the tip of the First Blade.

She closed her eyes and decided to do something that might put her mind at ease. She got into the mind of her large Hellhound Lizzie and began leaving the mansion. The other Hellhounds growled, asking Lizzie where she was going. She turned and looked back at them and they knew Keara was looking through Lizzie's eyes. She gave them a comforting growl and left the cavern.

She walked down the corridors that were surprisingly large enough for such a large Hellhound. There were no demons in the halls, but since they heard about Keara's large hounds of Hell, they seemed to keep out of the corridors and find something useful to do.

It was quite a long way, but it was the risk of running into Nikolai that worried her more. If he recognized her in Lizzie's eyes, he'd know she wasn't checking up on him.

Eventually, she got down to the forbidden pit without running into Nikolai. As soon as she entered the place, Lucifer looked up with a dark grin, obviously impressed with such a large creature. He approached the bars and just stood there with his hands in his pockets.

"Just can't stay away." He said, knowing it was Keara through her large Hellhound.

At that moment, she focused and had the ground just before the cage sizzle. Lucifer looked down, curious as to what she was doing. In the dirt, something began to burn and take form. It spread and it soon began to become familiar. The forms were letters and Lucifer realized she was spelling out _Goodbye_ in the dirt. He looked back up at the Hellhound and his eyes were dark. He mustn't have been thrilled to see that.

The fire died and the dirt seemed untouched. Keara was turning around, about to leave, when Lucifer spoke, making her freeze in place.

"If you're looking to pity something, pity Nikolai." He said and her heart began to beat hard. "One of these good days, that Mark is going to destroy him and everything he touches." He added. Keara fought against turned her head to look at Lucifer. She didn't want to look at him, so she settled for a deep growl and walked straight, out of that place, leaving Lucifer to rot in his cage.

Keara bolted upright in bed, her heart racing and her head full of sweat as if, despite her calm demeanor as Lizzie, she was terrified. Having Nikolai going off on a rampage was everyone's worse nightmare.

She swung her legs out of bed, needing to get out of the mansion to breath and clear her head. She silently walked out of the front doors and just stood there in her pajamas. Lizzie came back after a few seconds, walking straight towards Keara to see if she was alright. She gave Lizzie a little tap on her muzzle and she turned to sleep with the other Hellhounds.

At that moment, just after Keara was calming down, easing her mind, her mother stepped out and stood next to her. She glanced over and gave a small smile.

"Couldn't sleep?" Clara asked and Keara nodded her head. "Neither could I." she said and continued to stare at her daughter. "Did I ever tell you about the time I dated a human?" she asked and Keara raised an eyebrow.

"Like a million times." She replied, but Clara looked off in the distance, ignoring Keara's reply.

"I really liked him. I kept going back to him, even if it didn't quite feel right." Clara said and Keara began to feel unnerved. Did her mother know about her visiting Lucifer? "He made me want to be human, but we both know that doesn't work out well." Her mother added and Keara was beginning to suspect that her mother did know about Lucifer. "Eventually, the demon fights to dominate and when I discovered my boyfriend was possessed by that Micah prick, I fought back. I left my human boyfriend, knowing that I couldn't keep doing what I was doing and I never looked back; promising that I would never do something like that again." her mother concluded and glanced at her with this strange glimmer in her eyes.

It was without a doubt that her mother knew she had been visiting Lucifer.

"How long have you known?" Keara asked and now her mother didn't seem impressed.

"It doesn't matter. Point is, I knew if I prohibited it, you'd do it anyway. You're like me; can't be told what to do. I let you go to find out for yourself, but when I suspected you were beginning to feel drawn, I had to stop it." Clara said and Keara looked away, feeling stupid for having underestimated her mother.

At that moment, Keara realized what her mother meant by "had to stop it". She glanced back at her mother with a bit of surprise written on her face.

"You sent Nikolai." She said and her mother met her eyes with such authority. "He was so angry with me." she added and her mother's lips twitched into a grin.

"Can you blame him?" she asked and Keara's expression relaxed.

"No, but he didn't have to be a dick about it." she replied, looking away.

"We all know how important you are to him. If anything was to happen," Clara said, but Keara finished her sentence, knowing exactly what would happen.

"Hell would be destroyed and whatever else he can get his hands on. I wouldn't even be enough to stop him." Keara replied and they both fell silent, as if both imagining how terrifying that would be.

"Does Dad know?" Keara asked and her mother looked off in the distance.

"No, but I didn't like keeping it from him." Clara replied, only then looking at her daughter in a warning manner. "I hope you've learnt your lesson." She added with such a cold tone, Keara was sure to agree.

"Yes, Mom." She replied, looking down at her feet. "I guess he was right; I was seeing what I wanted to see." she said and her mother put an arm around her shoulders in a comforting hug. Keara looked up and met her eyes. "Thanks." She said so softly and her mother smiled.

It was then Nikolai walked back into the cavern with still a hard expression on his face, as if he couldn't shake off what he caught Keara doing.

"I'll leave you two alone." Clara said, turning to return into the mansion. "You know the apartment is always available." She added and Keara turned to her mother.

"Mom!" she shouted in a whisper. Her mother grinned and shrugged her shoulders.

"Just saying." She concluded and walked in, having the door close behind her.

Keara looked at Nikolai as he approached and couldn't help but smile at him.

"Did you wait up for me?" he asked her and her smile grew.

"No, I was in bed." she said and he nodded, closing in. "But then I got really lonely." She added and he met her eyes with a charming grin. "I was thinking of going for a little walk with you." She said and his grin grew.

"I was just on a little walk." He replied, playing stupid to where she was going with this.

"Yeah, but mine leads to delectable unexplored territories." She added and his grin turned wicked as he closed the gap between them, standing in front of her, his arms slowly wrapping around her waist.

"I'm going to like this walk." He said and she let out a soft chuckle as she pressed herself against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, forgetting all about Lucifer and thinking of all the fun things her and Nikolai could do on their little walk.

Nikolai kissed her neck, his hands smoothly caressing all her curves. His approach was always aggressive, yet gentle. Although her mother's suggestion surprised her, she was beginning to like the idea; going to the old apartment and getting Nikolai to kiss every inch on her body. Her father drew the line at sharing a bed in the mansion, but nothing was said about sharing a bed momentarily in the old apartment…

"Are we going or do you want to have fun by the front doors of my parents' place?" she asked and he pulled back, grinning with black eyes, his hands dropping to her ass.

"Screw the walk, let's teleport; it's quicker." He said, snapping his fingers eagerly. With his hunger, she was certain this was going to be aggressive, yet gentle, love making with the demon she loved. Keara couldn't agree more with him.

 **The End**

 **This trilogy was fun to write, even if this last part took me forever to finish. It was well worth it and I'm a little sad it's all over, but new stories are waiting to be written.**

 **I wish to thank everyone for reading "One Lonely Night", "I Just Want to be Loved", "Take a Howl at That Moon" and this jewel, "We're Family, Blood". I wish to thank everyone for the pleasure of reading your reviews. And I wish to thanks those that inspired me to write these stories.**

 **I wish to thank Supernatural, the cast and the crew, for being so awesome and inspirational (I like to think they love the Supernatural fanfictions we write). The characters are precious and they inspired mine to come to life.**

 **Thanks! xo**

 **Laurie Archer**


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